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KS3
PHYSIC
S
NAME:
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Light
Starter

- Write down all you know about light

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Classwork

Light is a wave of energy produced by luminous objects such as the sun, candles, light bulbs
and flames. Any object that produces light is called a light source. Light is a wave, which
always travels in a straight line. Light can travel through translucent and transparent
materials (ones you can see through) but cannot travel through opaque materials (ones you
cannot see through).
Like water waves, light waves are transverse waves and so have vibrations perpendicular (at
right angles) to the direction the wave is travelling in. Like waves in water, light waves
transfer energy from one place to another. Light waves can also be reflected (bounced off
things) – this is how mirrors work.
Light waves also do not need any particles to travel, unlike other types of waves. Some
waves need a substance to travel through – this substance is called a medium. Light waves
do not need a medium to travel which is useful as light from the sun has to travel through
space which is a vacuum (has no particles).
Light waves are slowed down by particles and so travel the fastest in a vacuum. The speed
of light in a vacuum is 3 x 10⁸ m/s and the speed of light in a vacuum is constant. Light will
travel slower through a medium such as air or water, but its movement appears to be
instant to the human eye.
When a luminous object produces light, it reflects off non-luminous objects and some of this
reflected light goes into our eyes and that is how we see. For example, the light bulb in your
living room is an example of a luminous object and light from it will bounce off a chair,
which is a non-luminous object, so we can see it.
Lenses can be used to focus light as it can refract (bend) light. A convex lens bulges
outwards and causes rays of light to converge (move together) to a focus light to a point.
The human eye uses a combination of convex lenses to focus light – the cornea and the lens.
The cornea is a transparent window with a convex shape, and it does most of the eyes
focusing. The convex lens behind the cornea changes shape to focus light from objects at
varying distances. The iris is the coloured part of the eye, and it controls the amount of light
entering the eye. Images are formed on the retina which contains photo-sensitive cells
(sensitive to light). When light waves hit a retina cell, the energy it transfers causes chemical
and electrical changes in special cells that send signals to the brain so we can see.
Energy is emitted by sources of light waves and anything that absorbs this energy is called
an absorber e.g., a retina cell in the eye or the digital image sensor in a digital camera.
Energy is transferred when light waves hit an absorber, for example, in a digital camera,
light energy causes the digital image sensor to generate an electrical charge. The changes in
charge are read by a computer and turned into an image.

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Activity 1

- What is an object that produces light called?

- How can light travel through space if there are no particles?

- What is the speed of light in a vacuum? Can light travel faster than this? Explain your
answer.

- Describe how the eye allows us to see.

- What is an absorber?

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- What is a light source?

- What does a convex lens do to light?

- Which part of a digital camera is sensitive to light?

- How do we see things (in terms of light being reflected)?

- What type of materials can light travel through and which type of materials can light
not travel through?

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- Make a fact sheet explaining how the eye works, draw a diagram and write
sentences explaining how we see

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Activity 2

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Activity 3

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Activity 4

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Activity 5

Q1.
James’s coin has rolled under a cupboard. It is dark under the cupboard,
and he cannot see the coin even though the light is on.
The diagram shows his problem.

(a) Explain why a shadow forms under the cupboard.

.............................................................................................................
.........

.............................................................................................................
.........
1 mark

(b) James uses a mirror to shine light from the light bulb onto the coin.
He holds the mirror so that it touches the floor at point X.

(i) The symbol for a mirror is

Copy the symbol onto the diagram at point X to show

the correct angle for the mirror.
1 mark

(ii) On the diagram, draw the ray of light from the bulb to the coin.

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Draw an arrow on the ray to show which way the light is

travelling.
Use a ruler.
2 marks

(iii) Use the correct word to complete the sentence.

At the mirror, the light

is ......................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 5 marks

Q2.
Light shines onto a ball. Naomi is looking at the ball.

(a) Describe how light from the lamp lights up the ball and makes it
visible to Naomi.

.............................................................................................................
.........

.............................................................................................................
.........

.............................................................................................................
.........

.............................................................................................................
.........
2 marks

(b) (i) Naomi uses different colours of light and different coloured
balls.

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Complete the table to show the colours that the balls appear to
Naomi.

2 marks

(ii) Why does a black object appear black in any light?

.....................................................................................................
........
1 mark

(c) Choose from the following terms to complete the sentences below.

less than equal to greater than

At a plane mirror, the angle of incidence is ..................................

the angle of reflection. The distance from the object to the mirror is

................................ the apparent distance from the mirror to the

image.
2 marks

(d) A beam of white light shines onto a sheet of white paper. An

identical beam of light shines onto a mirror. The light is scattered
from the paper and reflected from the mirror.

Describe how scattering by paper and reflection by a mirror are

different from each other.

.............................................................................................................
.........

.............................................................................................................
.........

.............................................................................................................
.........

.............................................................................................................
.........
2 marks
Maximum 9 marks

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Q3.
(a) Light waves transfer energy.

(i) Complete the following sentence.

The oscillations producing a light wave

are ........................................................

to the direction of the energy transfer by the light wave.

(1)

(ii) The apparatus in the diagram shows that light waves transfer
energy.

Describe how switching the desk lamp on and off shows that
light waves transfer energy.

You do not need to describe the energy transfers.

.....................................................................................................
..........

.....................................................................................................
..........

.....................................................................................................
..........

.....................................................................................................
..........
(2)

(b) A student holds a wrist watch in front of a plane mirror. The student
can see an image of the wrist watch in the mirror.

The diagram shows the position of the wrist watch and the mirror.

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Draw a ray diagram showing how the image of the wrist watch is
formed.

Mark the position of the image.

(4)

(c) The image of the wrist watch seen by the student is virtual.

What is a virtual image?

.............................................................................................................
...........

.............................................................................................................
...........
(1)
(Total 8 marks)

Q4.
(a) A teacher shines a laser beam onto a classroom window. It reflects
off the window and onto a screen.

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On the diagram above, continue the laser beam to show its path as
it reflects off the window and onto the screen. Use a ruler.
Add arrows to show the direction of the laser beam.
2 marks

(b) (i) When a pupil plays her flute in the classroom the window
vibrates.
Give the reason for this.

.....................................................................................................
........

.....................................................................................................
........
1 mark

(ii) When the window vibrates, what happens to the laser beam
that is reflected off the window?

.....................................................................................................
........

.....................................................................................................
........
1 mark

(c) The teacher places a microphone near the pupil as she plays her

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flute. The diagram below shows the pattern on an oscilloscope

screen.

The pupil then plays her flute at a higher pitch and more quietly.
Which diagram below shows the pattern that would be seen on the
oscilloscope?
Tick the correct box.

1 mark
maximum 5 marks

Q5.
A teacher has a small torch. He switches it on and points it towards a
mirror.

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(a) A ray of light from the torch reflects off the mirror. Use a ruler to
draw the ray of light:

(i) from the torch to the mirror;

1 mark

(ii) reflecting off the mirror.

2 marks

Add arrows to the rays to show the direction of the light.

(b) A laser beam is a very bright and powerful beam of light. It is very
dangerous to point a laser beam towards people or animals.
Which part of the body can be most easily damaged by a laser
beam?

....................................................
1 mark
Maximum 4 marks

Q6.
It is night-time and the desk lamp is on. Light shines onto the key.

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(a) (i) Draw one ray of light on the diagram to show the light shining
from the lamp onto the key. Use a ruler.
Put an arrow on the ray to show the direction of the light.
2 marks

(ii) There is a patch of light on the wall. This light has been
reflected from the key. Draw a reflected ray of light on the
diagram.
Use a ruler.
1 mark

(b) There is a dark shadow on the table beside the mug.

Explain how this shadow is formed.

.............................................................................................................
.......

.............................................................................................................
.......
1 mark
Maximum 4 marks

Q7.

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It is a sunny day. Alika is using the sunlight to signal to Sarah.

(a) What simple object could Alika use to send bright flashes
of sunlight to Sarah?

.............................................................................................................
.........
1 mark

(b) What does this object do to the rays of the sun?

.............................................................................................................
.........
1 mark
Maximum 2 marks

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Extension

- Describe how a digital camera works from memory – correct your answer in a
different coloured pen.

- When we walk into a dark room our eyes adjust, what role does our iris play in this?
What do our irises do when we walk into a bright room?

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Homework
- Research the speed of light in different materials on the internet. Compare the speed
of light in these different mediums and explain why light in slower in these materials
than in space. Present your research in a poster. Also include what you have learnt
about light in this pack.

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Test

Waves 5: Light

1 Give an example of a light source.

_______________________________________________________________________
__

2 A student uses a camera to take a picture of a fire.

State whether each of the following is a light source or a light absorber.

(a) The back of the student’s eyes ___________________________________

(b) The camera flash _____________________________________

(c) The fire _____________________________________

(d) The film at the back of the camera _____________________________________

3 Complete the sentence. Choose from the following words.

camera eye film source

Light transfers energy from a ______________ to an absorber.

4 Digital cameras and eyes both produce an electrical effect when light is absorbed.
marks]

State one other effect that light can cause when it is absorbed.

Give an example of this effect.

_______________________________________________________________________
__

_______________________________________________________________________
__

5 What is the name for the layer of cells at the back of the eye that detect light?

_______________________________________________________________________
__

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6 [AQA KS3] A transparent object allows all the light that enters it to pass
through – none is absorbed.

What name is given to a material that lets some, but not all, light pass through?

_______________________________________________________________________
__

Total marks ______ /10

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Mark Scheme

Waves 5: Answers

1 Accept any correct light source e.g. [1 mark]

sun, lamp, phone screen
(Do not accept moon or any other
surfaces from which light is reflected.)
2 (a) Absorber, (b) Source, (c) Source, [4 marks]
(d) Absorber
3 Source [1 mark]
4 Chemical [1 mark]
Film in a camera [1 mark]
(accept photosensitive paper / light
sensitive paper)
5 Retina [1 mark]
6 Translucent [1 mark]

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