Light

I can identify a wide range of sources of light, including the sun,

various forms of electric lights, flames, etc.
Light is a form of energy just like kinetic energy, potential
energy, gravitational energy, sound, or heat.
There are two types of light energy; man-made and natural.
Light from the sun is called solar energy.
Light is white and it travels in waves. Light travels in a
straight line from the source.
It is not visible to the human eye; you cant see it.
Light travels from a light sources (i.e. solar, natural, and
man-made). The temperature of these light sources is HOT.
Some objects emit their own light and others require an
external source of light to be seen.
Something that can glow and emits its own light is
luminescent. The temperature of a luminescent things (that
are alive or dead) is not high/cooler.
You cannot look at bright light as it can damage her eyes.
When light bounces off a shiny/smooth object it creates a
reflection.
When light goes through a prism-like object (clear,
glass/plastic/many layers) the light bends and creates
different colours of the rainbow (dispersion of light).
Objects that Emit Light (Man-made)

Objects the Emit Light (Natural)

Observations
The sun/flashlight or any source of light emits light and hits
an objects which will then reflect light off that object.
The characteristic/qualities (i.e. colour, texture, brightness,
etc.) all play a role in the intensity of the reflecting light and
the intensity of the reflection.
Objects can also reflect light if they are light in colour, shiny
or clear and they dont reflect as much light as they get
darker.
The type of material also affects the intensity of the
reflection of light (i.e. a glass or mirror is clear and it will
reflect light brightly or clearly versus a plastic material or a
non-shiny metal which will not reflect light as clearly or
brightly.

Sources of Light
Natural Light

Man-made Light

Sun

Traffic Lights

Fireflies

Car lights/headlights

Natural fire (i.e. forest fire)

Fire (i.e. match sticks, lighters,

etc.)

Sunlight Safety
Viewing the sun without proper equipment can result in
permanent eye damage. Sunglasses, binoculars, and
telescopes do not provide adequate protection from direct
observation of the sun.
Additionally, never look directly at a source of light, whether
its man-made and natural.
Safe to view the sun: Welders glasses available in hardware
stores.

What does it mean?

When an object emits light it means that it can produce a
discharge of light whether its man-made or natural (i.e.
flashlight manmade, lava natural).
When an object reflects light, it bounces off an object. If the
surface is smooth and shiny (like glass, water or a polished
metal), then the light is bright and the reflection is a
stronger. In comparison to light reflecting off dark objects. In

other words, when an object does not emit its own light, it
must reflect.
Reflection of Light

Reflection
To bounce off of a surface. For example, light
that bounces off a mirror.
When light bounces off an object and creates
a reflection.
The object has to be good reflector to create
a good reflection. A good reflector appears to
be smooth and/or shiny because it reflects light evenly and
in one main direction. For example, mirrors, calm lake, and
polished metals.
Refraction
The bending of a light ray as it passes through one object to
another.
When light rays bend as they pass from one object to
another.

 For example, when light passes through a prism (clear

glass/surface) then the light rays bend and produce light.
Light travels through a light source and passes through a
glass bowl full of water. This bowl can act as a prism because
it has many layers of something.
Because of the light refracts in water, you can sometimes
not tell the exact position of an object underwater. So, if you
are standing at a dock and looking at fish in the lake, the fish
underwater dont always appear to be where actually is.
Good
Reflectors
(somethin
g shiny)

Bad
Reflectors
(somethin
g rough)

Steel water
bottle

Blanket or
any cloth

Metal
legs/suppor
t of a chair

Wall
(mostly
dark
colours)

Metal part
of a
scissors

Gravely
path

Icy/frozen/c
alm body of
water

Pencil/back
pack

Mirror

Boulder/roc
k

CD

Old/dull
Chalkboard

Coins

Old/dull
wooden

bench
Sequins

Silicone plant pots

Rainbow
Natures display of the spectrum of colours produced by the
dispersion (spreading) of colours as light passes through the
sky during a rainstorm. Droplets producing specific colours
lie in arches of a circle across the sky which is why the
rainbow takes the shape of an arc.
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Violet
Colour Combinations
Different colours of light can be mixed to make a new colour.
The three primary colours are red, blue, and yellow. Primary
colours are originals and they cannot be made; they are
made as is.
The secondary colours are made when primary colours are
mixed together. The secondary colours are orange, green
and violet.
Red with Yellow = Orange
Red with Blue = Violet
Blue with Red = Violet

 Blue with Yellow = Green

Yellow with Red = Orange
Yellow with blue = Green
Luminescent
Luminescent objects glow and are able to produce their own
light at low temperatures.
Luminescent materials emit their own light through a
chemical or physiological reaction.
The light is produced by two types of processes that produce
light:
1. Fireflies and Lantern Fish (Physiological)
2. Luminous paint; glow in the dark effect which contains
zinc sulfide activated by copper (Chemical)
The Moon and the Sun
Does the moon produce light?
The moon does NOT produce light. The moon is a
reflector and reflects sunlight. The moons surface is all
rock.
Does sun produce light?
The sun is the biggest natural producer of light in our
galaxy.
Why does the moon shine? How is it that we see the moon?
It reflects sunlight and it makes the moon shine.
How is it that we see anything that does not produce light?

 Basically, everything that doesnt produce light is a

reflector of light or we can only see it because it reflects
light.

Transparent

Translucent

See
through
or clear

All light
goes
through

Kind of seethrough

In the
middle

Can create
a shadow
when light
shines on it.

Examples:
-Plastic Wrap
-Glass
Window
-Clear tape
-Clear/seethrough
glass doors
or windows
-Clear plastic
Ziploc bag

Some light
goes
through

Examples:
-Wax Paper
-Lampshade
-Light
coloured/materia
l cloth
-Plastic part of
Signs
-Patterned covers
on ceiling lights
and wall lights
-Thick
plastic/clear
binders
-Layers of onion

Opaque

Not seethrough

No light
goes
through

Can
create a
shadow
when
light
shines
on it.

Examples:
-Cardstock or
thick paper
-Wall
-Lockers
(metal)
-Thick carpet
-Stairs
-Hook
-Floor
-Wood

What is a shadow?
A shadow is a dark area or shape produced by a body
coming in between the rays of light and a surface. Other
words to describe the word shadow are silhouette, outline,
shape, profile, contour, etc.
Shadows fall in the OPPOSITE direction of the light source
shining on an object.
Shadows change their direction and shape:
1. When the sun rises from the east, the shadow is long
and fall on the opposite side of the object.
2. When the sun is in the sky during midday (12:00p.m.),
the shadow was under or all around the object and it
was shorter.
3. When the sun is in the sky during the evening and close
to sunset, the shadow is on the opposite side and it
longer again.
MORE ABOUT SHADOWS
Does the size of a shadow change throughout the course of a
day? Yes it change to a different size and position.
Explain how and why have the shadows changed? Shadows
change as the sun moves across the sky in the course of the
day.
What is the path of the sun? The sun rises from the east and
sets in the west.
Where will your shadows fall in the evening? It will be longer
and almost fading into darkness.

Shadows & the Sun

Morning Sun

Afternoon Sun

Evening Sun

-Shadows are
longer in the
morning

-Sun is the
highest in the
sky

-Shadows are
long

-Sun rises from

the East

-Shadows fall
directly down

-Time: Early
Morning

-Shadows get
shorter as the
sun is higher in
the sky.
-Time: Midday

-Sun sets in the

West
-Time: Late
Afternoon
-The shadows
are longer again
as the sun sets
lower in the sky.

Convex Lens
Convex lens bends outwards or is curved out.
A convex lens refracts (bends) light.
When beams of light pass through a convex lens, they come
closer together (converge/meet) to a common point. This
point is called a focus. When you place an object between
the focus and the lens, the object will appear magnified
(bigger).
When you place the object away from the focus point, you
will see an upside down image.
Concave Lens
Concave lenses cause light to spread out (diverge).
Things appear smaller through a concave lens.
Nearsighted people have their vision corrected by wearing
concave lens in their eyeglasses.

 Farsighted people have their vision corrected by wearing

convex lenses in their eyeglasses.
REFRACTION OF LIGHT

Videos to Watch
Convex and Concave Lenses:
Bill Nye: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvUIsetjVck
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=JFbefgVfCoM
Lights and Shadows:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3jbc1a

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqcYzYUY8f0