1. Interactions of Light with Matter Chapter 3 Section 2

2. How does light travel?
In a straight line unless it hits object or is absorbed

3. What is reflection? Light bouncing off an object
Changes direction of light
Like a ball bouncing off ground

4. What is “Law of Reflection”?
Angle made by light hitting surface = angle of light reflected

5. What are the types of Reflection”?
Regular reflection: light reflects off mirror at same angle; surface smooth/ shiny – mirror

6. What are the types of Reflection?
Diffuse reflection: light reflects in many directions; surface rough/bumpy – wall; can’t see reflection

7. What are the types of Reflection?
Regular (Spectacular)
Diffuse

8. What are the light sources?
Luminous - object produces visible light
Illuminated – object needs a separate light source to be seen
Importance? Sight needs light; to be seen must either be luminous or be illuminated

9. Interactions of Light with Matter Chapter 3 Section 2 Part II

10. What is absorption of light?
Transfer of energy to particles of matter
Explains why light dims as it moves from light source: more particles absorb the energy, making it dimmer

11. What is scattering of light?
Light moving in all directions after colliding with particles
Fog is good example
Allows you to see outside beam, but it dims
Explains why sky is blue: shorter wavelength is scattered more than other colors, so you see more of it

12. How does light interact with matter?
Reflected – bounces off
Transmitted – passes through matter; example through a window
Absorbed – transfer light energy to matter; makes object feel warmer
(next section) Refracted – wave is bent

13. How does transparent, translucent, or opaque matter matter? 
Transparent: easily transmits visible light (air, glass, H2O)
Translucent: transmits light but also scatters it (wax paper)
Opaque: doesn’t transmit light (metal, wood, textbook)

14. How is an object’s color determined?
Wavelength determines
Eyes receive light
Eyes send messages to brain
Brain interprets signals as colors
Long = red / short = violet / mixture of waves = combination of colors

15. With opaque objects, how does reflection and absorption impact the color?
Light hits opaque object: Some waves reflected, see that color Some absorbed, don’t see that color

16. How do we see a strawberry as red?
Red wavelengths reflected; other colors’ wavelengths absorbed

17. What makes something white?
All colors’ wavelengths are reflected

18. What makes something black?
All colors’ wavelengths are absorbed

19. What about color in non-opaque objects?
Transparent: Colorless in white light because all light waves pass through (transmit). Think of glass window.
Translucent: Shows color of wavelength reflected or transmitted; all others absorbed. Think of stained glass.

20. How do pigments produce color?
Pigment = material that absorbs some colors of light and reflects other

21. What has pigment?
Pigment is in almost everything

22. What are two examples of pigments?
Melanin = pigment for skin color
Chlorophyll = plant color

23. What happens when pigments are mixed?
Each pigment absorbs at least 1 color
Mix pigments, more colors are taken away; color subtraction