Properties of Light

Properties of Light

What are the properties of light?

Multiple Choice

According to Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens, what was light made of?

• atoms

• particles

• waves

• electrons

Multiple Choice

Isaac Newton believed that light was made of

• waves

• particles

• dust

• gravity

Multiple Choice

Sayid listed some characteristics of waves in a chart. Part of his chart is shown.

Which of these would correct Sayid's error?

• Change the heading of the chart to “Mechanical.”

• Replace “travel in straight lines” with “move in curved paths.”

• Add “move due to particles bumping into each other” to the chart.

• Change “move only through matter” to “move through space and matter.”

Speed of Light

• Electromagnetic waves move through space at the speed of light, about 300 million meters per second (3.0x10⁸m/s).

• They slow down very slightly as they pass through matter.

• The speed of light is believed to be the maximum speed at which anything in the universe can travel.

Multiple Choice

Which example best illustrates that light behaves like particles?

• Light bends as it strikes a window.

• Light bounces off a white cement sidewalk.

• Light travels in space at a speed of about 3.0x10⁸ m/s.

• Light increases in speed as it moves through matter.

Multiple Choice

Which statement correctly compares the speed of light?

• The speed of light through space is much greater than 3x10⁸ m/s.

• The speed of light in glass is much greater than 3x10⁸ m/s.

• The speed of light in glass is faster than the speed of light through space.

• The speed of light in glass is slower than the speed of light through space.

Multiple Choice

What happens when light from the Sun passes through any type of matter?

• The light slows down.

• The light speeds up.

• Most of the light is absorbed.

• Most of the light is reflected.

Multiple Choice

Zaccharias Janssen was a scientist who studied properties of light and invented one of the first compound microscopes in the late 1500s. Which property did Janssen most likely believe about light during the time of his invention?

• Light bends around objects.

• Light bounces off surfaces.

• Light travels in a curved path.

• Light is made up of waves.

Multiple Choice

Lisa sees the image below as she researches the behavior of light.

Which behavior is the spoon in the top image most likely being used to illustrate?

• refraction

• absorption

• reflection

• bounce

Multiple Choice

Which object is least likely to allow light to pass through it?

• a pair of eyeglasses

• a clear water bottle

• a car windshield

• a tree trunk

Multiple Choice

The diagram shows light interacting with an object.

Which object is the light most likely striking?

• a window

• a mirror

• a plaster wall

• a steel beam

Multiple Choice

Juan created a chart to help him study for a test.

Which headings best complete the chart?

• X: Transparent Objects

  Y: Opaque Objects

• X: Opaque Objects

  Y: Transparent Objects

• X: High Frequency Waves

  Y: Low Frequency Waves

• X: Low Frequency Waves

  Y: High Frequency Waves

Multiple Choice

Which statement best explains a difference between the interaction of light with clear glass and the interaction of light with silver metal?

• Light slows down when it interacts with glass but not when it interacts with metal.

• Light slows down when it interacts with metal but not when it interacts with glass.

• Most of the light passes through glass but none of the light passes through metal.

• Most of the light is absorbed by glass but none of the light is absorbed by metal.

Multiple Choice

Carla did an experiment by placing a piece of smooth, clear glass and a piece of smooth, black stone under a lamp for twenty minutes. Which prediction will most likely be supported by Carla’s experimental results?

• The glass will feel warmer than the stone after twenty minutes.

• The stone will feel warmer than the glass after twenty minutes.

• The glass will reflect all of the light after twenty minutes.

• The stone will reflect all of the light after twenty minutes.

Multiple Choice

Which of these will reflect light with the highest frequency?

• an orange basketball

• a blue candle

• a green ribbon

• a yellow banana

Multiple Choice

Why does green light slow down more than orange light does when passing through an object?

• Green light has longer wavelengths than orange light.

• Green light has fewer particles than orange light.

• Green light refracts less than orange light.

• Green light has a higher frequency than orange light.

Multiple Choice

Which object absorbs the most visible light?

• a clear bowl

• a white rock

• a black t-shirt

• a red apple