Exploring the Wonders of Light

A leaf is green because

• All colors are reflected except green

• The light reflecting into our eye is green

• All colors are absorbed except green

• The sun light shining on the leaf is green

Light _________ off metals because they are smooth and _______.

• Reflection, smooth

• Refraction, bumpy

• reflects, shiny

• refracts, dull

Which is non-luminous?

• lamp

• lightning

• car headlights

• mirror

A medium that allows light to pass through it is ...

• eflection

• Refraction

• Translucent

• Transparent

Which of the following is a property of light?

• Light can travel through a vacuum.

• Light cannot be reflected.

• Light travels slower than sound.

• Light is always visible.

What happens to light when it passes from air into water?

• It speeds up.

• It bends towards the normal.

• It bends away from the normal.

• It disappears.

Which color of light has the shortest wavelength?

• Red

• Green

• Blue

• Violet

Different colours of the rainbow travel through objects at different speeds. Red light has a _______ wavelength therefore refracts the _______.

• longer, most

• shorter, least

• shorter, most

• longer, least

The colour _________ has the shortest wavelength.

• violet

• red

• indigo

• orange

When white light passes through a prism, it splits into different colors. What is this called?

• Reflection

• Refraction

• Dispersion

• Diffraction

Answer explanation

Diffraction is the spreading out of waves as they pass through an aperture or around objects. It occurs when the size of the aperture or obstacle is of the same order of magnitude as the wavelength of the incident wave.