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Light Properties Exploration

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Light Properties Exploration

Help a science team investigate how light travels and interacts with materials. Read the mini-brief, then use evidence to solve each challenge. For multiple-choice questions, choose one answer unless the question says to select all that apply.

Field Notes

Light is a form of energy. It travels in straight lines through a uniform material and travels extremely fast—about 186,000 miles per second in empty space. Objects that make their own light, such as the Sun and a lit flashlight, are light sources. We see most other objects when light reflects off them and enters our eyes. A mirror reflects light in an orderly way, making a clear image. A rough surface scatters reflected light in many directions. Transparent materials let most light pass through; translucent materials let some light through but scatter it; opaque materials block light. Light can also be absorbed and changed into other forms of energy, such as heat.

Solve the Light Lab Challenges

Use the field notes and evidence in each question.

1.A student says, “Light curves around corners on its own.” Which observation best challenges that claim?

A flashlight beam makes a straight bright path through dusty air.
A mirror makes an image of a face.
A dark shirt feels warm in sunlight.
A clear window lets light pass through.

2.The Sun is about 93 million miles from Earth. At approximately 186,000 miles per second, light takes about how long to travel that distance?

About 8 minutes
About 8 seconds
About 80 minutes
About 8 hours

3.Select all the items that produce their own light.

A lit candle
The Moon
A switched-on flashlight
A mirror
The Sun

4.Isabella shines a flashlight at a mirror. What happens to much of the light that reaches the mirror?

It reflects in an orderly way.
It disappears forever.
It turns into sound.
It passes through the opaque mirror.

5.Classify each material by how it transmits light: clear glass, wax paper, and a wooden door. Write transparent, translucent, or opaque for each.

6.A shiny mirror and a sheet of white paper both reflect light. Explain why you can see a clear image in the mirror but not in the paper.

7.In a dark room, a flashlight points at a book. Trace the complete path that allows you to see the book.

8.A black T-shirt and a white T-shirt sit in sunlight. The black shirt becomes warmer. Which explanation best fits this result?

The black shirt absorbs more light energy, which can become heat.
The black shirt creates extra light.
The white shirt reflects no light.
Light moves more slowly through black fabric.

9.During a storm, you see lightning before you hear thunder. Use the relative speeds of light and sound to explain why.

10.A student wants to test which of three materials—clear plastic, wax paper, or cardboard—lets the most light through. Describe a fair test and state what result you would record.