Light Waves

If a car sits out in the sun every day for a long time, can light from the sun damage the car’s paint?

• Yes. The paint can take in energy from the light, causing it to be damaged.

• No. Light can only change things by warming them up, so it cannot damage the car’s paint.

• No. Light is not a physical thing, so it cannot change physical things like paint.

• Yes. Light from the sun can pull energy out of the paint, causing it to be damaged.

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NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Alex has a type of rock called calcite, which sometimes glows. He puts the calcite under a desk lamp but the calcite does not glow. Then he puts it under an ultraviolet lamp and the calcite glows. Why does ultraviolet light make the calcite glow when light from the desk lamp does not?

• Because ultraviolet light carries energy, and light from the desk lamp does not.

• Because ultraviolet light pulls energy out of the calcite, and light from the desk lamp does not.

• Because calcite can take in energy from ultraviolet light but not from the light from the desk lamp.

• Because ultraviolet light carries glowing molecules, and light from the desk lamp does not.

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NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Shonda is learning about a new kind of material that might be used to make new satellites, and she wonders if light can damage the material. The table below shows what happens when different types of light hit the material. Based on this information, which type of light is more likely to damage the material?

• The gamma ray light is more likely to damage the material because the gamma ray light can pull energy out of the material when it passes through the material.

• The X-ray light is more likely to damage the material because the X-ray light bounces off of the material, which means that it has more energy

• There is no way to know because they are two different types of light, and different types of light can change a material in different ways

• Neither type of light is likely to damage the material because the material does not take in energy from either the X-ray light or the gamma ray light.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-2

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Your friend says that she heard about a special type of ink that is only visible when it is out in the sun. Can light from the sun cause this ink to become visible?

• No. Light can only change things by warming them up, so it cannot make the ink become visible.

• No. Light is not a physical thing, so it cannot change physical things like ink.

• Yes. The ink can take in energy from the light, causing it to become visible.

• Yes. Light from the sun can pull energy out of the ink, causing it to become visible.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Alina notices that when she shines a desk lamp on a mirror, nothing happens. When she shines an infrared lamp on the mirror, the mirror starts to get warmer. Why does light from the infrared lamp warm the mirror when light from the desk lamp does not?

• Because the mirror can take in energy from infrared light but not from the light from the desk lamp.

• Because infrared light carries energy, and light from the desk lamp does not.

• Because infrared light carries heat molecules, and light from the desk lamp does not

• Because infrared light pulls energy out of the mirror, and light from the desk lamp does not.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-4

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Omar has a piece of rock called quartz. He wonders whether light can cause the quartz to become warm. The table below shows what happens when different types of light hit the quartz. Based on this information, which type of light is more likely to cause the quartz to become warm?

• The visible light can cause the quartz to become warm because the visible light can pull energy out of the quartz when it passes through the quartz.

• The infrared light can cause the quartz to become warm because the infrared light bounces off the quartz, which means that it has more energy.

• There is no way to know because they are two different types of light, and different types of light can change a material in different ways.

• Neither type of light can cause the quartz to become warm because the quartz does not take in energy from either the infrared light or the visible light.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-4

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Your friend shows you a special kind of paper that can change color. He says that it will change color if it is out in the sun. Can light from the sun cause the paper to change color?

• Yes. Light from the sun can pull energy out of the paper, causing it to change color.

• Yes. The paper can take in energy from the light, causing it to change color.

• No. Light is not a physical thing, so it cannot change physical things like paper.

• No. Light can only change things by warming them up, so it cannot cause the paper to change color.

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NGSS.MS-PS3-5

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Khaled has a red toy that is painted with a special kind of paint. When he puts the toy under a desk lamp, it stays red. When he puts the under an infrared lamp, it turns blue. Why does the infrared light cause the toy to turn blue when the light from the desk lamp does not?

• Because infrared light pulls energy out of the paint, and light from the desk lamp does not.

• Because infrared light carries colored molecules, and light from the desk lamp does not

• Because the paint can take in energy from infrared light but not from the light from the desk lamp.

• Because infrared light carries energy, and light from the desk lamp does not.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Kayla wonders if lasers will be able to cut a hole in a piece of silicone, which is a change that requires energy. The table below shows what happens when different types light from lasers hit the silicone. Based on this information, which type of laser light can cut a hole in the silicone?

• The helium-neon laser can cut a hole in the silicone.

• The carbon dioxide laser can cut a hole in the silicone.

• The carbon dioxide laser can cut a hole in the silicone.

• Any of these types of light can cut a hole in the silicone, because all light carries energy that can cause materials to change.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-4

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Your friend says that there is a kind of glue that only dries when it is exposed to a special type of light. Can light cause glue to dry?

• No. Light can only change things by warming them up, so it cannot cause glue to dry.

• Yes. The glue can take in energy from the light, causing it to dry.

• Yes. Light can pull energy out of the glue, causing it to dry.

• No. Light is not a physical thing, so it cannot change physical things like glue.