TAITA TAVETA UNIVERSITY
TITLE: PROJECT ON RECTILINEAR PROPAGATION AND REFLECTION (SIMPLE
PINHOLE CAMERA)
NAME: TERESIA WANGECI
REGISTRATION NUMBER: SE218-0366/2021
FACULTY: SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND INFORMATICS
DEPARTMENT: EDUCATION
ZONE: VOI
SCHOOL: VOI GIRLS EDUCATION CENTRE
ZONE COORDINATER: DR DAVID CHIKATI
PERIOD OF THE PROJECT: MAY-AUGAUST 2024
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APPROVAL AND DECLARATION.
The researcher hereby declare that this project is her own and has not been previously done or
presented by any other person in any institution or university for award of certificate, diploma or
degree.
Name Signature Date
TERESIA WANGECI
This project has been submitted to Voi Girls Education Centre with our approval as the
principal and the head of department.
Principal Signature Date
Head of department Signature Date
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
I thank the almighty God for protection and blessing upon our lives. Appreciation to Taita
Taveta University, my supervisor DR David Chikati who has been giving me guidance on this
educational course and above all, his fatherly approach. Thanks to all Voi Girls Education
Centre’s staff and students who have participated in the success of this project because from
them I extracted some valuable information to enrich the quality of this project.
Thanks to my parent for love, support, encouragement and prayers to me.
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DEDICATION
This project is fully dedicated to all physics learners and teachers across the country.
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ABSTRACT
A simple pinhole camera is a type of camera without a lens but with a tiny aperture effectively,
light proof box with one small hole on one side. Light from the scene passes through the aperture
and projected an inverted image on the other side of the box which is known as a camera
obscurer effect. It is commonly used to capture the movement of sun over a long period of time.
It’s used in schools to let students learn about photocopy and experiment with the basis of
photography. It’s one of the subtopics learned in form one on rectilinear propagation and
reflection.
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Table of content
TAITA TAVETA UNIVERSITY
APPROVAL AND DECLARATION................................................................................................................ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT...................................................................................................................................iii
DEDICATION................................................................................................................................................... iv
ABSTRACT.........................................................................................................................................................v
Table of content...................................................................................................................................................vi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1
1.1 Background information..........................................................................................................................1
1.2 Purpose of project.....................................................................................................................................2
1.3 objective of the project.............................................................................................................................2
1.4 Statement of the problem............................................................................................................................2
1.5 Significant of the project................................................................................................................................ 2
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW..................................................................................................3
2.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................................3
2.2 Research gap.............................................................................................................................................3
2.3 Theoretical literature...............................................................................................................................4
2.4 Empirical Literature................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY.........................................................................................................5
3.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................................5
3.2 Project description....................................................................................................................................5
3.3 Project materials.......................................................................................................................................6
3.4 Project design and procedure..................................................................................................................6
3.5 Conceptual frame work............................................................................................................................7
CHAPTER FOUR. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.......................................................................................8
4.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................................8
4.2 Project outcome/results/product.............................................................................................................8
4.3 Project utilization/applicability...............................................................................................................8
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4.4 Project sustainability................................................................................................................................9
4.5 Project evaluation.....................................................................................................................................9
CHAPTER FIVE. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................10
5.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................................10
5.2 Conclusions.............................................................................................................................................10
5.3 Recommendations...................................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES.................................................................................................................................................11
Appendices....................................................................................................................................................11
Budget............................................................................................................................................................11
Work plan..................................................................................................................................................... 11
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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION.
1.1 Background information
Voi Girls education Centre started in February 2013 with 23 students as a sub-county girls day
school at Tanzania Bondeni settlement scheme in Kaloleni ward Voi.
The school relocated to Vindo village on January 2023 courtesy of Kenya Railways.
The school is a sub county-school sponsored by ACK Dioces of Taita Taveta.County.
The school has 510 learners which 400 are boarders and 110 days scholars, 25 teachers and 14
non- teaching staff, under the management of principle Elfrida Mkombola.
The school performance has been poor due to lack of adequate teaching and learning resources in
the school and as stated by the Kenya national examination council physics performance across
the country have dropped drastically for the past three years. This led to a one-month research on
the reason behind the physics performance. After undertaking the research, it was found that
students don’t fail generally in physic as a subject but particularly under the topic rectilinear
propagation and reflection according to the research many schools do lack adequate facilities
such as laboratories for storing instruments such a simple pinhole camera. Secondly some
schools that were founded lately are still developing and thus do not have adequate financial
support to equip the school with all the instruments needed to perform physics practical. As a
result, I came up with a simple pinhole camera that is home made and not costly. Through this
student were able to conduct experiment on rectilinear propagation and reflection with no need
of laboratory or lots of finance to support the experiment.
1.2 Purpose of project
The purpose of this project was to come up with a simple pinhole camera that would help
physics students understand the concept of rectilinear propagation and reflection thus improves
physics performance in the country.
1.3 objective of the project
General objective
i. To help physics students understand the concept of rectilinear propagation and reflection hence
good performance in it.
Specific objectives
ii. Help physics learners to come up with their own simple homemade pin camera.
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iii. To learners perform on rectilinear propagation and reflection despite any challenge or classroom
financial or classroom inadequately.
1.4 Statement of the problem identification
According to my research at Voi Girls Education Centre, the physics learners had poor
performance in physics as a subject. After doing my own research I identified that the school
lacked a simple pin hole camera in the laboratory and that students did not perform most of their
experiments on simple pin hole camera. To this issue of lack of laboratory equipment’s, I
decided to come up with a simple pinhole camera experiment that could be carried out in
classroom, through this, the students will perform the experiment with the ease and the physics
result will gradually improve.
1.5 Significant of the project.
i. To help physics students to understand the concept of the rectilinear and reflection hence good
performance.
ii. Help physics students perform the experiment with the ease and without financial strain
iii. Help learners perform the theoretical part of the science in practical form for easy understanding
iv. Help student master the skills on rectilinear propagation and reflection much easily by observing
thus enhance easy remembrance.
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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW.
2.1 Introduction
A pinhole camera was first mentioned by Mohist philosopher Mozi in the 5th century BC.
In 1021, the Arabian Scientist Lbnal-haytham brought about pinhole effect in the book of optics.
And thereafter Chris Keeney releases a new pinhole camera guide in the 21st century.
2.2 Research gap
Despite the long history, the science behind the pinhole camera hasn’t changed. A small ray of
light passed through an aperture and when the light hit a dark surface in the box it produced an
upside-down image of the scene surveyed.
Projected into translucent paper, the image was captured and developed. A simple pinhole
camera enables learners to evaluate their work from craft to art and offers photography buffs and
nostalgic dreamers a chance to recreate that youthful joy.
2.3 Theoretical literature
The theory "Rectilinear propagation and reflection " states that when light passes through a pin
hole an inverted image is formed on the screen with its height being dependent of the image
distance. This theory helps us understand the concept of the use and importance of a pinhole
camera.
2.4 Empirical Literature
• The earliest recorded mention of a pinhole camera was early as the 5th century BC, by the
Mohist philosopher Mozi.
• In 1021 the Arabian scientist Ibnal-Haythan wrote about pinhole effects in the book of optics.
He discovered that by using a smaller pinhole the image appears much sharper but dimmer.
• Later the same century Shen Kuo a Chinese scientist was the first to establish geometrical and
qualitative attributes for pinhole camera
• In 13th century English Monkland scientist Roger Bacon described the use of the pinhole
camera to observe solar eclipse without damaging the eyes. This became one of their major uses
• First mention of a camera from the Latin for " darkened room was made in 1640 by German
astronomer Johannes keeler
• In 2001 Philp Steadman examined a number of Vermeer’s paintings and explores repeated in
several paintings and use of viewpoints that might point to the use of camera obscure
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• From 2001 to now the concept of darkened sides and white screen is being used.
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CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This section gives into details the project and describe the features of the simple pinhole camera,
the kind of materials that I have used and how I have built up the model so that it be useful to
both the learners as well as the teachers.
3.2 Project description
This project majorly deals with the subtopic in form one physics (Pinhole camera)
This project aims at coming up with a 3-dimensional model of a simple pinhole camera for a
comprehensive learning to take place and improvement of the overall performance. The simple
pinhole model will enrich the learners with a thorough content of characteristics of image formed
on the screen and how it is being formed.
A simple pinhole camera is camera without a lens but with tiny hole – it is effectively a light-
proofs box with hole in one side. Light from object passes through the hole and projects an
inverted image on the opposite side of the box. The image is inverted because the light from
upper part of an object forms the lower part of image while light from the bottom of the object
forms the upper section of the image.
3.3 Project materials
Materials needed here to make a pinhole camera were;
i. A carton box
ii. Greased white paper
iii. Cello tape
iv. Nail/needle
v. Razor blade
vi. Candle
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3.4 Project design and procedure
How I made a simple pinhole camera;
i. Cut off square hole (of about 5cm by 5cm) at the back using a razor
ii. Covered the hole with the greased white paper (the paper was tightly fixed with glue and seal
tape) to create the screen.
iii. Made a hole with a nail at the front end of the box
iv. Precisely observed the candle from the whole and made observations on the image formed.
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CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.
4.1 Introduction
This chapter represent the results, utilization Sustainability and evaluation of the project.
4.2 Project utilization
This project was to guide the learners on how to use it to observe objects of different sizes from
different distances. Where; by calculating magnification, they will be able to determine the size
of the image formed on the screen.
4.3 Project sustainability
The project would serve learners for the remaining secondary studies and in real life situation.
4.4 Project evaluation.
Even though the model was successfully completed and efficiently used in teaching learning
process, challenges were inevitable which may include;
The image produced is affected by the amount of light reaching the paper, which is controlled by
the aperture size (pinhole size and exposure time). As the aperture gets smaller less light enters
the hole and more exposure time is required for the image to develop.
The image formed by a pinhole camera may be projected onto a translucent screen for a real -
time viewing or safe observation of the solar eclipse.
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CHAPTER FIVE. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
After the completion of the project there were conclusions and recommendations.
5.2 Conclusion
The project is meant to equip learners with the process skills since they will engage in more
practical more than the theoretical part.
5.3 Recommendations
The pinhole camera is recommended to use since it uses the locally available materials to make.
This will also make it possible for learners to even make their own simple pinhole camera and
observe the nature of the images formed and do calculations on magnification.
By doing this, the poor performance in physics reduce and a better understanding of physics
especially on the topic rectilinear propagation and reflection.
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References
Timby, K. (2015, July 31). 3D and Animated Lenticular Photography. Walter de Gruyter GmbH
& Co KG. ISBN 978-3-11-044806-1.
Pinhole Pro Lens by Thingyfy. (2018).
How to Make and Use a Pinhole Camera. (2016, March 5). Archived from the original
on 2016-03-05.
"V3 - digital transformation news, analysis and insight". (n.d.). v3.co.uk. Archived
from the original on April 19, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
Rayleigh, L. (1891, February). "On pin-hole photography".
The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of science
. 31(189), 87–99. doi:10.1080/14786449108620080.
Young, M. (1971, December 1). "Pinhole Optics".
Applied Optics, 10(12), 2763–2767. doi:10.1364/ao.10.002763. PMID 20111427.
Young, M. (1989, December). "The pinhole camera: Imaging without lenses or mirrors".
The Physics Teacher, 27(9), 648–655. doi:10.1119/1.2342908.
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Appendices
Appendix 1-Calendar of events
DATE ACTIVITY
28-May-2024 Lecturer approval
2-June-2024 Gathered all the resources
required
4-June-2024 Constructed the pinhole camera
model
5-June-2024 Wrote the final project report
14-June-2024 Project approval from the HOD
of science department and the
principle
Appendix 2-Expenditure
Item Item Description Quantity Cost Total cost
no:
1 Box 1 1 20 20
2 White paper 1 1 10 10
3 Nail 3 inch 1 10 10
4 Razer blade 1 1 5 5
5 Candle 1 1 15 15
6 Cell tape 50cm 1 30 30
7 Oil/grease 20ml 1 30 30
8 Office glue 90g 1 60 60
9 Match box 1 1 5 5
Total 185ksh 185ksh
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Appendix 3 photograph
