Light Energy

​Light

Energy

​Light Energy

​Light energy is the energy of traveling waves that makes things visible to the eye.

​

​

​Light energy allows us to see things up close, and to see things in different colors.

​Movement of Light

​Light waves move in a straight line and can travel through empty space (vacuum).

​

​Light will continue to move in a straight line unless an opaque object gets in the way. Then a shadow is formed.

​

​Light can also be transmitted, refracted, reflected and absorbed.

​Transmission

​Transmission happens when light passes through objects.

​

You are able to see through materials like glass or clear plastic thanks to transmitted light.

However, the light may be refracted, so that it comes out at a slightly different angle from how it entered.

​Refraction

Refraction happens when light gets bent in transparent materials such as water, air, glass, or a prism.

​Refraction can cause:

• ​Objects to look bent like in water.

• ​Objects to look bigger like through a lens.

• ​A rainbow to appear when light gets broken into its 7 colors.

Reflection

​Reflection happens when light bounces off an object and moves in another direction.

​

​The light will still travel in a straight line, but just in a different direction.

Light reflects from a smooth surface at the same angle as it hits the surface.

Absorption

Absorption happens when an object soaks up some of the light waves.

​

​When a material absorbs light, the energy from that light is transformed into heat.

Dark materials absorb more heat than light materials.

​Transparent- allows light to pass or transmit through it so objects can be seen clearly.

​

​Translucent- allows some light to pass but objects don't have a detailed shape.

​

​Opaque- no light passes through it, the light is absorbed.

​​What can Light pass through?

Multiple Choice

Light travels...

• around corners

• in a straight line

• in waves

• in circles

Multiple Choice

______________ happens when light passes through objects.

• transmission

• reflection

• refraction

• absorption

Multiple Choice

_____________ happens when light gets bent in transparent materials such as water, air, glass, or a prism.

• refraction

• reflection

• absorption

• transmission

Multiple Choice

______________ happens when light bounces off an object and moves in another direction.

• transmission

• reflection

• refraction

• absorption

Multiple Choice

_________ happens when an object soaks up some of the light waves.

• Absorption

• Reflection

• Refraction

• Transmitted

Multiple Choice

An object that does not allow light to pass through

• transparent 

• clear

• opaque

• translucent

Multiple Choice

This type of object lets some light through, but not all. It is not easy to see through this type of material.

• transparent

• translucent

• co-parent

• opaque

Multiple Choice

If an object allows most all light to pass through it then it is...

• transparent

• opaque 

• translucent

• cold

Multiple Choice

The leaves of this plant appear green because the green light is ____________.

• reflected

• refracted

• absorbed

• transmitted

Multiple Select

The red flowers absorb what colors (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY).

• yellow

• purple

• red

• blue