Now, using all the principles I introduced in the previous parts, I construct a magic box of my own. This time, I used a 37% reflecting transparent glass inside the magic box instead of a normal plane mirror. And then I combine my magic box with a 24" concave mirror to creat a real image which is so real but you can never touch it!

What is the fun to talk about magic then to see one yourself?

Just look at the diagram below and see how it actually works.

Diagram #4

1) Firstly, show the box to the audiences, and remember the box seems empty because I used a transparent glass (the two-way mirror) and the area behind the glass is much darker when the light bulb is off. Now to the audience, the transparent glass behaves as a normal plane mirror.


Photo #2
2) Turn on the light. Now, with the light bulb shining, the side behind mirror is now brighter, and the two-way mirror now acts as a piece of glass to the audience because now light can go through the transparent glass from inside. Therefore, now people suddenly see a light bulb hanging up-side-down from the top of the box, which was still "empty" just a second ago.


Photo #3

3) Take out the top of the box to show people where the light bulb has always been.

Photo #4

4) Use the concave mirror and place the box so that the light bulb is at the position exactly 2 focal length away from the center of the concave mirror. In this case, the mirror should be put exactly 24" away from the center of the mirror. This will cause the light to focus a visual image of the light bulb right side up.

Photo #5

Photo #6