Periscope

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/periscope

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the instrument classification?Optical instrument for indirect observation
2. What is the fundamental mechanism?Utilizes reflection of light via mirrors or prisms
3. How does a periscope work?Light from an object enters the bottom of the tube, hits a mirror at a 45‑degree angle, bounces up, hits a second mirror, and then goes straight to your eye. The mirrors use the law of reflection to change the direction of the light.
4. Why did soldiers use periscopes in World War I?Soldiers used simple periscopes in trenches to see where enemies were without standing in the open. This helped them avoid danger and lowered the number of injuries.

Line of Sight: The unobstructed path between an observer's eye and an object.
Reflection: The phenomenon where light bounces off a surface at an equal angle of incidence and reflection.
Prism: A transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light.