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Summary Sheets: Light

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Cinara Rahimova
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112 views

Summary Sheets: Light

Uploaded by

Cinara Rahimova
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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8K Summary Sheets

Light
Objects which create light are luminous sources. Light travels in straight lines.

Light waves travel through transparent objects but not through opaque objects.
Shadows are made because light cannot travel through opaque objects. Translucent
objects show a glow of light through them.

Transmission and absorption 8


Transparent materials let light pass straight through. We say they transmit light. K
Opaque surfaces can absorb light. Black surfaces absorb light very well and reflect
very little. This is why they look so dark.

glass black surface

transmission absorption

Reflection
Light rays are scattered
by rough surfaces, and a
reflection cannot be
seen.
A plane mirror is a flat
mirror. Light is reflected
evenly by a plane mirror
mirror.

The angle of incidence is equal to the inci angle of


den
angle of reflection. t ra
y incidence

When light shines on to an object viewed in plane


a mirror, the rays are reflected into the eye. normal (flat) mirror
(at right angles to
They seem to come from a position behind the mirror) y
the mirror. The image is the same size as d ra
e f l ecte angle of
the object and the same distance from the r reflection
mirror. In the image left is right and right
becomes left.

Page 1 of 2
Exploring Science for QCA Copymaster File 8 495 © Pearson Education Limited 2002
8K Summary Sheets (continued)

Refraction
When light hits something transparent it changes direction. This is called refraction.

Refraction takes place at the interface between two substances. When light is
transmitted through glass it slows down and bends towards the normal. When it
travels back out it speeds up again and bends away from the normal.
8
K raybox incident ray normal (at right angles
to the interface)
incident ray
angle of
incidence interface
air
glass
paper glass
block
angle of
refraction refracted ray
emergent ray

Colour
White light is a mixture of colours. White light can be split up using a prism to give a
spectrum of seven colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).

The splitting of colour into a spectrum is called dispersion.

white screen

red
ht orange
sunlig prism yellow
green
blue
indigo
spectrum violet

A rainbow is produced when water droplets in the air refract sunlight.

Different colours can be made by mixing light of the three primary colours (red,
green and blue).

Coloured light can be made using a filter. A red filter lets red light through, but
absorbs all the other colours.

We are able to see colours because objects do not reflect all the colours in light:

White objects reflect all the colours.


A red object only reflects red and all other colours are absorbed.
This idea applies to all colours except black.
Black objects absorb all colours.

Page 2 of 2
Exploring Science for QCA Copymaster File 8 496 © Pearson Education Limited 2002

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