The Principles of Heat, Light, & Sound

Light

To have light, you must have a light source. Sources of light… Sun Fire Light Bulb

What happens when light hits an object? The light is reflected off the object. We see things because of reflected light.

Why do we see colors? We see a color because that color is reflected off the object. We see blue because blue is reflected off the object.

We see ourselves in a mirror because of reflection. The light that hits an object is called the angle of incidence.

The light that bounces off the object is called the angle of reflection.

The Law of Reflection Angle of incidence = Angle of reflection

What is Reflection of Light? Law of Reflection

When light passes thru transparent objects (water, glass, etc.), the light is refracted (bent). When light passes thru water, it’s refracted.

Optics for Kids – Refraction Refraction of Light Gelatin Fiber Optics

When light travels thru a prism, the refraction forms the colors of the spectrum. The spectrum is the colors of the rainbow… Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet (ROY ROY G. BIVBIV).

White is made up of all the colors of the spectrum (all colors are reflected). Black is the absence of color (all colors are absorbed and none are reflected. Refraction of Light

How Do We See Color? Adventure in Color

Three things can happen when light hits an object. If the object is transparent, it will pass through it (think window). If the object is translucent, light is diffused as it passes through it (think plastic milk carton).

If the object is opaque, the light will not pass thru the object and is reflected (think wall).