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Light

Light is a form of energy that allows us to see objects, categorized into natural and man-made sources. It can be luminous, emitting its own light, or non-luminous, reflecting light from other sources. Light interacts with materials through emission, reflection, absorption, and transmission, with different materials classified as transparent, translucent, or opaque, and it travels at a speed of 300,000 km/s in a vacuum.

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22 views5 pages

Light

Light is a form of energy that allows us to see objects, categorized into natural and man-made sources. It can be luminous, emitting its own light, or non-luminous, reflecting light from other sources. Light interacts with materials through emission, reflection, absorption, and transmission, with different materials classified as transparent, translucent, or opaque, and it travels at a speed of 300,000 km/s in a vacuum.

Uploaded by

kathpal.shikha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is Light?

Light is a type of energy that enables us to see objects by either emitting its own light or
reflecting off surfaces into our eyes.

Sources of light

All sources of light can be divided into two groups

1. Natural source of light : e.g. the sun , the stars , fireflies etc
2. Man made source of light: e.g. Candle, torches, electric bulbs etc.

Types of Objects:

1. Luminous Objects:

An object which emits light of its own, then the object is known as Luminous object.

Eg Sun Emits its own Light. Other examples ate Stars, Torch, Candle

2. Non Luminous Objects

An object which do not emit their own light, they reflect light of other objects, then the object is
known as Non – Luminous Objects

Eg: Moon-Moon reflect light from the Sun. Other examples are pen, table, chair.

Unlike sound, which needs a medium (such as air or water) to travel, light can move through
empty space. This is why we can see the Sun and stars from Earth even though space is a
vacuum.

Light behaves in different ways depending on the surface it encounters. It can be:

1. Reflected – Bounced back when it strikes a surface.


2. Transmitted – Passed through a material.
3. Absorbed – Taken in by the material, often converting into heat.

What Happens to Light as It Travels?


When light interacts with an object, three main things can happen:
1. Emission:
o Some objects, such as the Sun, light bulbs, and flames, produce their own light.
o These objects are called luminous objects.
o Light is emitted in all directions and spreads out as it moves further away from
the source.
2. Reflection:
o Most objects do not produce their own light.
o Instead, they reflect light that falls on them, making them visible to us.
o For example, a book reflects light from a lamp, which enters our eyes, allowing us
to see it.
3. Absorption:
o Some materials absorb light instead of reflecting it.
o Dark-colored objects absorb more light and convert it into heat, making them
warmer.
o Light-colored objects reflect more light, which is why they feel cooler under
sunlight.
4. Transmission:
o Light can pass through certain materials like glass and water.
o This property is called transmission.
o Different materials allow different amounts of light to pass through, leading to
three categories:

Types of Materials Based on Light Transmission


1. Transparent Materials
o Allow almost all light to pass through.
o Objects on the other side can be seen clearly.
o Example: Clear glass, clean water, air.
2. Translucent Materials
o Allow some light to pass through but scatter it.
o Objects on the other side appear blurry.
o Example: Frosted glass, wax paper, fog.
3. Opaque Materials
o Do not allow light to pass through.
o These materials create shadows because they block light completely.
o Example: Wood, metal, stone.

Why is the Deep Ocean Dark?


Even though water is transparent, the ocean gets darker as you go deeper. This happens
because:
 Absorption of Light: Water absorbs light energy, especially red, orange, and yellow
wavelengths.
 Scattering of Light: Water molecules and tiny particles scatter light in different
directions.
 Lack of Sunlight Penetration: At a certain depth (around 200 meters), almost no
sunlight reaches, making it completely dark.

Some deep-sea creatures produce their own light through bioluminescence to survive in the
darkness.

How Fast Does Light Travel?


 Light is the fastest thing in the universe.
 It moves at 300,000 km/s (kilometers per second) in a vacuum.
 It takes 8 minutes and 20 seconds for sunlight to reach Earth, which is 150 million km
away.
 This speed is much faster than sound, which travels only 0.34 km/s in air.

What is a Light-Year?

 A light-year is the distance light travels in one year.


 It is equal to about 9.46 trillion kilometers (9.46 × 10¹² km).
 Important: A light-year is a measure of distance, not time.

Summary Questions with Answers


1. Copy these sentences, choosing the correct bold words.

 The Sun is luminous/non-luminous because it emits/transmits light.


 The light reflects/transmits off an object that is luminous/non-luminous into your eye
so that you see it.
 Most objects do not transmit light; they are translucent/opaque.

 The Sun is luminous because it emits light.


 The light reflects off an object that is non-luminous into your eye so that you see it.
 Most objects do not transmit light; they are opaque.
2. Explain why it is so dark at the bottom of the ocean even though water is
transparent.

 Water absorbs light as it travels deeper.


 Red, orange, and yellow light get absorbed first, while blue light goes deeper.
 After a certain depth (around 200m), almost no light is left, making the ocean bottom
dark.

3. Describe the journey that light takes from the Sun to your eye when you are
looking at a fish in a pond.

1. Light is emitted from the Sun and travels through space.


2. It enters Earth's atmosphere, where some of it is scattered.
3. The remaining sunlight reaches the pond’s surface and enters the water.
4. Light bends (refraction) as it moves from air to water.
5. The light reflects off the fish and travels back upward.
6. It refracts again as it moves from water to air.
7. The light finally enters your eyes, allowing you to see the fish.

Extra Interesting Facts About Light

 Light always travels in straight lines unless refracted or reflected.


 Shadows form when an opaque object blocks light.
 The Moon is non-luminous, but we see it because it reflects sunlight.
 Sunlight contains seven colors (VIBGYOR), which can be seen in a rainbow.

Fill in the blanks:


Use these words to complete the sentences about light:

Absorb different diffuse focus prism refraction


same slower specula transmit

Transparent materials like glass ______________light.

When light passes through glass, it changes direction at the edge. This is called ____________.

The light travels _________ in the glass.

A lens uses refraction to _________ light at a focal point.


When white light passes through a _____________ it splits into a spectrum.

Opaque materials like cardboard ______________ light.

Answers:

1. Transparent materials like glass transmit light.


2. When light passes through glass, it changes direction at the edge. This is called
refraction.
3. The light travels slower in the glass.
4. A lens uses refraction to focus light at a focal point.
5. When white light passes through a prism, it splits into a spectrum.
6. Opaque materials like cardboard absorb light.

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