LIGHT
Light is the energy that enables us to see everything around us. Light is mainly
emitted from natural sources like the sun during the day and artificial sources like
bulbs and candles at night. These light sources are known as luminous objects.
Non - luminous objects are objects which do not produce light but they reflect the
light that is emitted by luminous objects. Example: the moon.
Light bounces off non – luminous objects reflecting into our eyes allowing us to see
them.
Non luminous and luminous materials can be classified into 3
1. Transparent materials – these allow ALL the light rays to pass through them
and an object on the other side can be clearly seen.
2. Translucent materials – these allow SOME of the light rays to pass through
them and an object on the other side will be blurry.
3. Opaque materials – these block light rays and do not allow any rays to pass
through them.
Formation of shadows
When light travels it takes the shortest distance between two objects making it travel
in straight lines.
The lines are called Rays and can be seen when light shines through clouds or an
open window.
When an opaque object is placed in front of a light source the object will block the
light rays that are directly inline with object and only the rays that pass on the edges
and around the object will continue on their path.
A small light source will give a sharp dark shadow whilst a big light source will give a
shadow with a dark central region surrounded by a lighter region (shadow with a
fuzzy exterior).
Reflection
Non luminous objects reflect light.
Mirrors are non-luminous that not only reflect light but also reflect images.
The way in which light is reflected depends on the type of surface
Smooth surfaces reflect light in one direction whilst rough uneven surfaces scatter
the reflected rays.
When describing reflection of light rays, the following terms are used
The Law of Reflection states that the Angle of incidence = Angle of reflection
Refraction
When light enters or leaves a transparent material the light rays change direction,
this is called Refraction.
This only occurs when the Incident ray is not perpendicular to the transparent
material, if the Incident ray is perpendicular then it will not be refracted.
This is shown below in a and b where the ray is not refracted and is refracted
respectively.
When the light ray moves from air to a denser medium eg water or glass the ray is
refracted towards the normal.
When the light ray moves from a denser medium to air it is refracted away from the
normal.
This is caused by the light rays changing speed as they enter the different mediums,
a denser medium will slow down the light rays causing the ray to bend towards the
normal whilst a less dense medium will increase the speed of the rays.
Dispersion
‘White’ light rays from the sun contain light of different wavelengths which give
different coloured light.
When white light rays enter a glass or plastic triangular prism (triangular block) they
will be refracted as they enter.
The rays with the smaller wavelengths will be slowed down the most causing them to
be refracted the most.
This results in the rays splitting into the spectrum of colours.
This is called Dispersion.
This is what happens when rainbows are formed when the white light rays pass
through the water droplets in the atmosphere.
Colour
When a ray of light strikes an object all the different colours in its spectrum may
either be reflected or absorbed.
If they are all absorbed the object will appear black and if they are reflected the
object will appear white.
For an opaque object to appear a certain colour it means that all the other colours
are absorbed whilst that colour is reflected.
For example for when the light strikes our school jerseys all the other colours are
absorbed except for the red that is reflected.
This however differs with coloured transparent materials that instead of reflecting the
light will let it pass through.
This is how theatres produce coloured lights using coloured glass or plastic. For a
yellow light to be produced, the white light is passed through a yellow filter that will
absorb all the other colours in the rays spectrum and only let the yellow light through.
Adding colours
Primary colours are colours of light from which all other colours of light can be made.
There are 3 primary colours, these are red, green and blue.
The primary colours of light are different from the primary colours in paints as the
colours in light mix differently from the colours in paint.
When primary colours are mixed, the following colour are produced
o red + green = yellow
o red + blue = magenta
o blue + green = cyan
o red + green + blue = white
The different colours that you see on a mobile phone, computer or television are all
produced from combinations of the three primary colours of light.
