Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Shadows

Total questions: 60

Worksheet time: 2hrs 0mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

When the sun gets higher in the sky, shadows get ______.

a)

longer

b)

gone

c)

shorter

d)

darker

2.

When the sun gets lower in the sky, shadows get______.

a)

longer

b)

gone

c)

shorter

d)

darker

3.

Shadows are longest during _______.

a)

morning and evening

b)

noon

c)

night

4.
Which light source causes shadows in the outdoor environment? 
a)
The Sun
b)
The Lightbulb
c)
The House
d)
The School
5.

When was this picture most likely taken?

(Hint: think about the shadow's length)

a)

morning or evening

b)

night

c)

noon

d)

afternoon

6.

When the Sun is behind you, your shadow is ...

a)

behind you

b)

in front of you

c)

at the side of you

d)

not there

7.

1. What is our main source of light?

a)

sun

b)

moon

c)

trees

8.

The sun appears to rise in the (a)   .

9.

Shadows are shortest at this time of day:

a)

morning

b)

noon

c)

afternoon

d)

evening

10.

In what ways does a shadow change throughout the day?

Check all of the correct answers.

a)

length

b)

color

c)

orientation (direction)

d)

size

11.

True or False:

A shadow is the light area created by an object that stops light.

a)

True

b)

False

12.

Why does your shadow change during the day?

a)

The sun is moving.

b)

The directions (N, S, E, W) change throughout the day.

c)

The sun's position in the sky changes.

d)

The moon rises.

13.

If the sun is setting in the western part of the sky, in which direction will we find the shadow of an object?

a)

north

b)

south

c)

east

d)

west

14.

You can tell where the sun is by looking at a shadow because the sun is always on the __________ side of the object.

a)

same

b)

opposite

c)

right

d)

left

15.

Which answer correctly completes this statement?


Just before sunset, a shadow is very ________ and it points _______.

a)

short, west

b)

short, east

c)

long, west

d)

long, east

16.

Which time of day would the shadow be the lowest?

a)

4 am

b)

sunrise

c)

noon

d)

3 pm

17.

Check all of the times when the sun would be in the eastern part of the sky.

a)

7 am

b)

10 am

c)

2 pm

d)

5 pm

18.

Which picture shows the shadow of a pole at noon?

a)
b)
c)
d)
19.

What time of day would you find the SUN in the western part of the sky?

Check all of the correct responses.

a)

8 am

b)

11 am

c)

1 pm

d)

4 pm

20.

Shadows are longest during _______.

a)

morning and evening

b)

noon

c)

night

21.

Shadows are shortest around______.

a)

morning and evening

b)

noon

c)

night

22.

Shadows are longest during _______.

a)

morning and evening

b)

noon

c)

night

23.

When the sun gets higher in the sky, shadows get ______.

a)

longer

b)

gone

c)

shorter

d)

darker

24.

The sun appears to __________.

a)

rise in the east, set in the west

b)

rise in the west, set in the east

25.
Where does the sun rise? 
a)
North
b)
South
c)
East
d)
West
26.
Where does the sun set? 
a)
North 
b)
South
c)
East
d)
West
27.

When is a shadow formed?

a)

When the light is turned off

b)

When the path of light is blocked by an object

c)

When an object falls to the floor

d)

When the light it turned on

28.

What does the moon orbit?

a)

Earth

b)

a star

c)

a space rock

d)

a satellite

29.

Why do shadows made by the Sun move throughout the day?

a)

Because the weather changes

b)

Because someone moves the objects

c)

Because the sun appears to move across the sky

d)

Because it's magic!

30.

Why do shadows made by the Sun move throughout the day?

a)

Because the weather changes

b)

Because someone moves the objects

c)

Because the sun appears to move across the sky

d)

Because it's magic!

31.

When was this picture most likely taken?

(Hint: think about the shadow's length)

a)

morning or evening

b)

night

c)

noon

32.

Where will the tree's shadow be?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

33.

Where will the tree's shadow be?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

34.
Which is NOT a source of light?
a)
firefly
b)
ball
c)
sun
d)
falshlight
35.

Which position of the sun will make the longest shadow?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

36.

Based on the shadow, what time of day is it?

a)

12:00 p.m (noon)

b)

2:00 p.m.

c)

1:00 p.m.

d)

7:00 a.m.

37.
At which location of the sun would the shadow of the light pole be the longest?
a)
A  at 11 a.m
b)
B at noon
c)
C at 2 p.m.
d)
D at 6 p.m. 
38.

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

39.

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

40.

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

41.

The Sun always rises in the East (sunrise) and sets in the West (sunset). This movement across the sky directly affects shadows in two ways: size and direction. Shadows are opposite the light source, so when the sun rises in the East, shadows point west. By evening, when the sun is setting in the West, shadows are pointing East. When the sun is low (morning and evening), shadows are long and stretched out. When the sun is high (midday), shadows are short.


Look at the diagram of the shadows baed on the pole. Which is the best description for the shadows occurring from noon to 3:00pm?

a)

The shadows are getting shorter before sunrise.

b)

The shadows are getting longer before sunset.

42.

Practice Question (PQ): A student placed a stick in the ground and then recorded the position of its shadow at different times of the day as the Earth turned and the sun moved across the sky.


Which outline in the student's recorded observations (see image) represents the positions of the stick's shadow at 10:00am?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

43.

What time of day do you think it is in this picture?

a)

8:00 am

b)

10:00 am

c)

12:00 pm (noon)

d)

2:00 pm

44.

What time of day do you think it is in the picture?

a)

8:00 am

b)

12:00 pm (noon)

c)

5:00 pm

d)

Either 8:00 am or 5:00 pm

45.

Why is it colder in winter than in summer?

a)

The earth is tilted toward the sun.

b)

The earth is farther away from the sun.

c)

The earth is tilted away from the sun.

d)

The earth is closer to the sun.

46.
What happens when the area in which you live tilts away from the sun?
a)
It is summer.
b)
It is spring.
c)
It is winter.
d)
It is fall.
47.
Why do we experience the changing of the season on the earth?
a)
distance from the sun
b)
rotation of the earth
c)
change in solar output
d)
tilt of the earth's axix
48.

How does the sun's position in the sky change in 1 day?

a)

The sun rises in the north and sets in the south

b)

The sun comes up in the east, overhead at noon, and sets in the west

c)

The sun rises in the east, is in the west at noon, and sets in the north

49.

In what ways does a shadow change during the day?

a)

They get smaller as the day goes on

b)

They get wider as it gets darker

c)

Shadows change direction and length

50.
A student draws his shadow at 9am.  How will his shadow look at noon?
a)
shorter than the morning shadow, or no shadow at all
b)
longer than the morning shadow
c)
the same length as the morning shadow
d)
it is impossible to predict how his shadow will change size
51.
Look at the picture.  Would the sun be low or high in the sky in the afternoon picture?
a)
The sun would be directly above.
b)
You would not be able to see the sun at all.
c)
The sun would be low in the sky.
d)
The sun has nothing to do with shadows.
52.

The marks on a sun dial show __________ intervals

a)

shadow

b)

time

c)

season

d)

marks

53.

What time is it in picture A

a)

12 P.M.

b)

8 A.M.

c)

4 P.M.

d)

12 A.M.

54.

What time is it in picture B

a)

12 P.M.

b)

8 A.M.

c)

4 P.M.

d)

12 A.M.

55.

What time is it in picture C

a)

12 P.M.

b)

8 A.M.

c)

4 P.M.

d)

12 A.M.

56.

When the sun rises in the morning, your shadow is _______ and points ________

a)

short, west

b)

long, west

c)

short, east

d)

long, east

57.

A sundial is used to ...

a)

tell the time of day

b)

measure temperature

c)

tell the day of the year

d)

measure the tenths of objects

58.

Why do shadows always point away from the sun?

a)

Because of where the sun is in the sky.

b)

Because the object that is causing the shadow is always between the shadow and the sun. A shadow is caused by the object blocking the light.

c)

Because the lights luminosity is bright enough to help control where the shadow lands.

59.

Which direction do WE rotate on Earth? (Select 2)

a)

East to West

b)

Counter clockwise

c)

Clockwise

d)

West to East

60.

Since WE rotate West to East, in which direction does the sun appear to rise?

a)

In the East

b)

In the North

c)

In the West

d)

In the South