2006 AAPT/Lexmark High School Photo Contest
Winner's Showcase

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Honorable Mention - Contrived Category

Title: Magnetic Distortions
Student: Bohao Pan
School: Cranbrook Kingswood School, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Teacher: Frank Norton

In this photograph, a horseshoe magnet was placed on top of a cathode ray tube (CRT) computer monitor set to display a solid color. The electron beam in the tube was initially directed to strike color pixels on the screen that fluoresce green, but the magnet produced a field that deflected the moving electrons away from their intended pixels. Each electron is deflected by an amount proportional to the magnetic field strength along its path, and may strike green, red, or blue pixels. Magnetic field strength varies with position and is continuous, so gradual variations in color are observed. In addition, as the direction of the field changes, then the direction of the beam displacement changes, thereby affecting the color displayed.