9

Chapter Aims

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Class:

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Ray Model of Light

Investigating Properties of Light
Key skills and competencies
Skills: using apparatus and equipment, observing CIT: creativity (making and using a model)

Activity 9.1

To investigate how light travels

Part A: Three cardboard screens with a small hole in the centre and attached to a base, piece of string, lamp or torch, retort stand Part B: Small electric lamp or torch, wooden or cardboard sheet (with hole), table tennis ball attached to string, large ball, retort stand

Apparatus and materials

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TB: Chapter 9.3

Link it

Ray Model of Light

(A) How does light travel? 1. Place three cardboard screens, as shown in the diagram, about 10 cm apart. Ensure that the three holes are in a straight line. (You can check this by passing a piece of string through the holes and pulling it tight. Then, carefully remove the string.) 2. Set up a lamp about 10 cm behind the cardboard screens. Switch on the lamp. Look through the holes. Can you see the light from the lamp?
Yes

cardboard screens string

retort stand lamp

3. Move one of the screens a little so that the holes are out of line. Can you see the light from the lamp now?
No

4. What does this experiment tell you about how light travels?
Light travels in straight lines.

(B) Model eclipses 1. Set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram.

retort stand

cardboard sheet lamp

I I I

ball

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Does a shadow form on the large ball? Is the shadow equally dark on all parts of the ball?

2. The apparatus is a model of an eclipse of a Sun. (a) Draw lines to match the parts of the model to the following. Sun Moon Earth Table tennis ball Large ball Bulb

Chapter 9

(b) Do you think this is a good model? Explain.

3. In your groups, discuss how to make a model eclipse of the Moon using the same apparatus. Then make the model and test it. Draw and label a diagram of your model.

I I I I

I I

I
I I I

table tennis

Yes No

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Activity 9.2
Aims

How Do We See this Book?

Key skills and competencies
Skills: using apparatus and equipment, observing CIT: creativity (planning an investigation), sound reasoning

To test two hypotheses about how we see things

Apparatus and materials

Torch or lamp, cardboard tube or large board TB: Chapter 9.4

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Here are two hypotheses about how we see this book: Light must travel to our eyes first and then to the book.

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Ray Model of Light

Light must travel to the book first and then is reflected into our eyes.

Which hypothesis do you think is correct?

Plan an experiment that will determine which of the two hypotheses is correct. You may wish to use a torch and a cardboard paper tube or large board (to block out light). 1. Method Describe your method in the space below. Be sure to explain how to carry out a fair test. Use diagrams to help you.
E.g. To test hypothesis A, use a cardboard tube or a board to block out light and make the light travel as shown. Observe if the book can be seen clearly. tube

board or

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To test hypothesis B, set up the cardboard tube or board as shown. Again, observe if the book can be seen clearly.

board tube

Check your method with your teacher. Next, carry out your experiment.

2. Observations
The book can be seen clearly when light from the torch is shone directly at it but not seen clearly when shone directly into the viewers eyes.

3. Conclusion Which hypothesis do the results support?

Hypothesis B

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Activity 9.3
Aims

Investigating Reflection in a Plane Mirror

Key skills
Skills: using apparatus and equipment, measuring

To investigate the reflection of light in a plane mirror

Apparatus and materials

Ray box with slit and power supply, paper sheet with a 180 protractor drawn on it

TB: Chapter 9.4

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For this experiment, you will be given a sheet of paper with a 180 protractor drawn on it. 1. Place the back of a plane mirror on the paper as shown. The line at right angles to the mirror is called the normal line.
180 0 81

0 0

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normal line

2. 3.

Use a ray box to shine a ray of light onto the mirror at 20 from the normal line as shown in the diagram. This ray is called the incident ray. The angle of 20 is called the angle of incidence (i).
Yes Can you see a reflected ray of light? Measure the angle between the normal line and the reflected ray. This is called the angle of reflection (r). Record the value of r in the table on the next page.

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ray box

Ray Model of Light

4. Repeat using other angles of incidence. Record your results in the table.
Angle of incidence (i)
20

Angle of reflection (r)

20

5. Prediction If the angle of incidence is 35, what will the angle of reflection be?
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35

6.

Test your prediction by doing an experiment. What was the result for the angle of reflection? Conclusion Complete the following sentence: The angle of incidence is the angle of reflection.
equal to 35

Chapter 9

(equal to/larger than/smaller than)

Name:

Class:

Date:

Activity 9.4
Aims

Investigating Phases of the Moon

Key skills and competencies
Skills: using apparatus and equipment observing CIT: creativity (designing a model)

To build a model to investigate the appearance of the Moon at different times of the month

Apparatus and materials

Tennis ball, torch or lamp

TB: Chapter 9.4

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(A) Observing the Moon 1. Look at the Moon each night at about 9.00 pm. 2. In the table below, draw how the phases of the Moon change over 30 days. Write in the date as shown in the example.
Phase

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2 May Day 1 2 3 4 5

Date 6

Ray Model of Light

Phase

Date

Day

10

11

12

Phase

Date

Day

13

14

15

16

17

18

Phase

Date

Day

19

20

21

22

23

24

Phase

Date

Day

25

26

27

28

29

30

Phase

Date

(B) Modelling the phases of the Moon

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You are given a tennis ball and a lamp or torch. In groups, discuss how you would be able to demonstrate the phases of the Moon as seen on Earth. Describe your method below or draw a diagram to show your set-up.

Chapter 9

Method
1. 2. 3. One student should hold the torch (represents the sun). Another student should hold the tennis ball (represents the Moon). Another student can represent the Earth. The students representing the Sun and the Earth should face each other. The student with the ball should stand in between them. The student representing the Earth should rotate on the spot. As he or she does this, the student with the ball should revolved around the student representing Earth.

Questions 1. How are we able to see the Moon? 2. Explain how we are able to see the different phases of the Moon.
We see different phases of the Moon because as the Moon orbits the Earth, different parts of it reflect light from the Sun. We are able to see the Moon because it reflects light from the Sun.

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Activity 9.5
Aims

Investigating Images in Plane Mirrors

Key skills and competencies
Skills: using apparatus and equipment, observing CIT: sound reasoning

To infer the characteristics of images formed in plane mirrors

Apparatus and materials

Sheet of glass, mirror holder, white screen (or sheet of paper), two Bunsen burners, small plane mirror, plastic sheet

TB: Chapter 9.5

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In this experiment, a sheet of glass is used. The glass acts partly as a plane mirror although it is transparent. 1. 2. 3. Place a sheet of glass upright on the table. Place a Bunsen burner in front of it. Look into the mirror to see the image of the Bunsen burner. (a) Is the image upright or inverted?
The image is upright.

sheet of glass

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Ray Model of Light

(b) Is the image bigger, smaller or the same size as the object?
The image is the same size as the object.

Place a white screen or sheet of white paper behind the glass. Move it backwards and forwards to try to get the image on the screen.
white screen

Can you get an image on the screen?

No

4. 5.
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(a) Move another Bunsen burner behind the glass until it is exactly aligned to the image of the first Bunsen burner. Measure the distances of the two Bunsen burners from the glass mirror. What do you notice about the distances of the object (the first Bunsen burner) and the image (the second Bunsen burner) from the glass? The two distances are the same. (b) Repeat with the Bunsen burner placed at different distances from the glass mirror. Is the result the same?
Yes

(a) Write a word on a clear plastic sheet. (b) Hold the sheet in front of a plane mirror. Can you read the word?
Yes

On the diagram, draw what you see on the plastic sheet and in the mirror.

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plastic sheet

plane mirror Yes Lateral inversion

6.

Is the image in the mirror turned sideways? What is this called?

Conclusion From your observations, state five characteristics of the image formed by a plane mirror.
1. The image is upright. 2. The image is the same size as the object. 3. The image cannot be formed on a screen that is behind the mirror. 4. The distances of the image and the object from the mirror are equal. 5. The image is laterally inverted.

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Activity 9.6
Aims

Investigating Refraction
Part B: Rectangular glass block, ray box, sheet of white paper (A4), pencil

To observe what happens when light passes through a block of glass

Apparatus and materials

Key skills and competencies

Part A: Round-bottomed flask, high intensity torch or laser light, fluorescein (or coffee-mate) solution, source of smoke (e.g. stick of incense)

Skills: using apparatus and equipment, observing CIT: sound reasoning

TB: Chapter 9.6

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(A) [DEMO] Bending light 1. Set up the apparatus shown in the diagram. To make light visible, add fluorescein (or coffee-mate) to the water and introduce some smoke to the air above the water.
narrow beam of light

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Ray Model of Light

2. Allow a narrow beam of light to pass from air to water. The beam of light (bends/does not bend).
bends

optio

(B) How does light move through glass?

nal f

N(

A)

1. Place a glass block on a sheet of white paper. Use a pencil to draw the outline of the block. 2. Use a ray box to shine a narrow beam of light into the glass block as shown below.
glass block ray box

or

sheet of white paper

sheet of white paper

Can you see the ray inside the glass block? Does the light bend when it enters the glass block? Look for the ray coming out of the glass block. Does the light bend again when it comes out of the glass block?
Yes

Yes Yes

3. Look the beams of light on the paper. On the paper, draw two crosses to show the path of light going into the block and two more crosses to show the path of light coming out. 4. Remove all the apparatus. Use a ruler to join the crosses to show the movement of the light. Also, draw the two normals at right angles to the glass block. 5. Conclusion Complete the following sentences. (a) Light moving from the air into the glass is bent (or refracted)
towards

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Chapter 9

(towards/away from) the normal.

away from

(b) Light moving from the glass to the air is refracted (towards/away from) the normal.

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Class:

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Activity 9.7
Aims

How Are the Colours in a Rainbow Formed?

Key skills
Skills: using apparatus and equipment, observing, inferring

To observe a spectrum of white light

Apparatus and materials

Ray box, two glass prisms, white screen

TB: Chapter 9.7

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1.

Set up a ray box and a prism as shown in the diagram.

X

prism ray box

screen

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Ray Model of Light

2. 3.

Shine a beam of light through the prism and onto the screen. You should see some colours on the screen. (You may have to turn the prism to see the colours clearly.) List the colours you see on the screen, starting from the colour nearest point X.
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet

Place a second prism as shown in the diagram below.

(a) What colour is formed on the screen now?

White

(b) What has the second prism done? The second prism has recombined the colours of the spectrum.

Questions 1. 2. 3.
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What is meant by white light?

Light that is a mixture of all the colours of the spectrum (and which we see as colourless)

What word is used to describe the splitting of white light into separate colours?
Dispersion

(a) Which colour is bent the most by the glass prism?

Violet light

4.

(b) Which colour is bent the least by the glass prism?

Red light

Chapter 9

Name one everyday phenomenon that involves the splitting of white light into colours.
A rainbow/Colours on (soap) bubbles

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nal f

Activity 9.8
Aims

How Do Objects Appear in Light of Different Colours?

optio

To observe how objects appear in light of different colours

Key skills and competencies

Skills: using apparatus and equipment, observing, predicting CIT: creativity (testing predictions)

N(

A)

or

Apparatus and materials

Ray box or torch; red, green and blue filters to fit the ray box or torch; white, red, green and blue objects

TB: Chapter 9.8

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1.

Shine white light from a ray box or torch onto white, red and green objects (in a darkened room). Note the colours the objects appear in. Record your results in the table given below.

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object ray box

Ray Model of Light

2.

Place a red filter in front of the ray box or over the torch. Shine the red light onto each object and again, note the colour the objects appear to be. Repeat using green filters. Results Complete the table with your observations.
Colour of object in daylight White Red Green Colour of light shining on the object White White
Red Green

3. 4.

Red
Red Red Black

Green
Green Black Green

Blue
Blue Black Black

5.

Making and testing predictions You will now use your understanding of coloured light to make predictions. You will then do an experiment to test the predictions. (a) What colour will a blue object appear to be in light of the following colours: white, red, green and blue? Record your predictions in the table below. (b) Test your predictions by doing an experiment. Record your observations in the table.
Colour of light shining on a blue object White Predicted results Experimental results
(Blue) Blue

Red
(Black) Black

Green
(Black) Black

Blue
(Blue) Blue

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(c) Were your predictions correct?

Yes/No

Chapter 9

Questions 1. 2. 3. What do scientists do if experiments show that their predictions are wrong?
E.g. Scientists can conduct more experiments, modify their models/ideas or refine their predictions.

In what colour of light is an object the same colour as it is in daylight?

In white light and in light of the same colour as that of the object

Under what conditions does a coloured object appear black?

An object appears black when the light shone on it is absorbed and not reflected at all.