Characteristics of Light

Characteristics of light

Open Ended

Have you ever seen a rainbow? What did it look like?

Light is a form of energy.

It is part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Plants use light to produce food through photosynthesis.

Animals with eyes use light to sense their environment.

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Light

• It travels in a straight line.

• It travels at a very high speed (about 300 million m/s)

• It can travel in a vacuum.

• When it travels through things, its speed can change.

• It is both a wave and a particle

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​Characteristics of Light

Speed of Light - Einstein's theory states that nothing in the universe can travel faster than light

Colors - Light has a spectrum of colors.

Reflection - When light bounces off a surface, it is called reflection.

Refraction - When light passes through something and it bends, that is refraction.

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​Properties of Light

Multiple Choice

Which one is NOT an example of reflection?

• You can see your image in a mirror

• The light of the moon comes from the sun.

• Your eyeglasses correct your vision.

• Your dad looks at the rearview mirror to check what's behind the car.

Multiple Choice

Which one is NOT an example of refraction?

• You use a magnifying lens to examine a butterfly's wing.

• Some scientists bounce lasers off the moon.

• An underwater submarine observes ships through a periscope.

• We use telescopes to look at things from a distance.