Light

Prepared by
Mark Agyapong
Senior High Tech. School
 LIGHT

• Light is an electromagnetic wave that give rise

to the sensation of vision.
Or
• Light is a form of energy which travels as
electromagnetic waves within a certain range of
frequencies.
Or
• The energy producing a sensation of brightness
that makes seeing possible.
 Note
• Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation
within the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
that is perceived by the human eye. Visible light is
usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of
400–700 nanometres (nm), between the infrared and
the ultraviolet
• Visible light is also produced by atomic transition
where electron on a higher orbit moves down to a
lower orbit in an atom.
• We see all objects because light from those objects
enters our eyes and all objects are seen because
either they are source of light or they reflect light
from other objects.
 Functions of light

1. It promotes vision
2. It helps plants to prepare food and
therefore provides them with energy.
(Many years after a plant has died, the
energy stored in it changes into other
forms of energy such as coal, oil, and
gas.)
3. It is form energy that can be
transformed into other forms of energy
 SOURCE OF LIGHT
A body that produce light is termed source
of light.
Eg. Sun, stars, electric lamp, candle,
firefly, Torch light, lantern etc.

There are two sources of light namely;

• Natural source of light and
 Artificial source of light
 Natural Source of light
This is a body that produces light
by natural means.
Examples are:
• Sun, Stars, Fire flies, glow-worm, deep-
sea fish (zebra fish, jelly fish etc) certain
species of plants etc.
 Artificial source of light

This is the body that produces

light by man’s control.
Examples are: lantern, Electric
lamps, Torch light, fluorescent
bulb, candle, wood fire, gas lamp
etc.
 PROPERTIES OF LIGHT

There are two theories that account for the behaviour of

light. They are the wave theory and particle theory.
• The wave theory suggests that light is energy travelling
in wave-like manner until it encounters an obstacle.
This theory can explain simple behaviour of light like;
reflection, refraction, diffraction, and interference.
• The particle theory can explain properties of light like;
reflection, photo electricity, and light scattering by
electrons without being able to explain refraction.
• Since no single theory is able to explain all properties
of light the two theories are accepted.
 PROPERTIES OF LIGHT
• a. Light is a form of energy.
• b. Light is an electromagnetic wave and a
transverse wave
• c. Light can be reflected, (bounces back when
obstructed)
• d. It travels through a vacuum in a straight line
with the speed of 3.0 x 108 ms-1.
• e. It can be diffracted (spreads out)
• f. Light can be refracted, (changes direction and
speed when it enter a different medium)
• g. It can show interference, (interacting of two or
more light waves).
TERMINOLOGIES (DEFINITION OF TERMS)

Incandescence:
This is a phenomenon where a body produces
light when it has been heated sufficiently.
A body which produces light when heated is
called incandescence material.
Examples are: Sun, wood fire, lantern, gas lamp,
electric filament lamp etc.
 Fluorescence

This is a process where a body produces light

when certain radiations fall on it.
(Fluorescent bodies emit light when cold.)
A body which produces light when radiations
fall on it is called fluorescent material.
Eg. Zinc sulphide, electric fluorescent tube,
fireflies, calcium sulphide etc.
 Phosphorescence

When radiation falls on certain materials, it

takes some time before light is produced.
This phenomenon is called Phosphorescence.
Examples of phosphorescent materials are
calcium sulphide and phosphors.
• Luminous body
This is a body that can produce light. Sun, stars,
fluorescent tube, lamp, candle, television screen.

• Self Luminous body

This is a body which produces light by itself
without any external help.
Examples are: Sun, Stars, glow worm, fireflies etc.
(they are all natural source of light)

• Non Luminous body

This is a body which cannot produce light.
Examples are; trees, human beings, moon
• Lumination
It is a term which means light is coming out
from a body.
Eg. the sun luminates means the sun gives off
light.
• ILLUMINATION
It is a term which means light falling on a body.
Eg. In the night a room is illuminated by a lamp.
Bodies are illuminated when light is incident on
them and they can be transparent, translucent
or opaque.
• Transparent body
These are substance which allows part of light energy
incident on them to pass through and the remainder either
absorb or reflected. Again one can see through it.
Examples are; air, water, glass etc.

• Translucent body
This is a body which allows light to pass through it, but one
can not see through it.
Example are; Oiled paper, frosted glass, coloured bottle etc.

• Opaque body
This is a body which does not allow light to pass through it
and one cannot also see through it.
Examples are; moon, planets, stones, wood, building etc .
 RAY OF LIGHT

• Ray is the path taken by light rays.

This can be represented by a diagram of full
straight line with arrow marking the direction
in which the light is propagated.

ray
 Beam Of Light Rays

A beam is a collection of light rays or a stream

of light rays.
 TYPES OF LIGHT BEAM

• Parallel
• Converging beam
• Diverging beam
 TYPES OF LIGHT BEAM
• a. Parallel beam of light, rays are parallel to
each other. eg. Light ray from the Sun or
Searchlight

• b. Divergent beam contains rays diverging from

a source of light. Eg. Light rays from a lamp or
torch light.
• c. Converging beam is when the rays in a beam
converge to a point, they collectively form a
convergent beam. Eg light ray from converging
lens. Or special light used in theatres
 Rectilinear Propagation Of Light

• This state that light rays travel in the form of

straight line.
 EXPERIMENT TO SHOW THAT LIGHT TRAVELS IN A STRAIGHT LINE

PROCEDURE
• Arrange three screens , and with an equal hole in each of them and
place it in front of a candle or a point source of light.
• The height of the screen should be exactly the same so that the light
can be seen by the observer through the holes from the end.

Lamp

Cardboards
Eye

NOTE
If any one of the screens is moved slightly out of line.
The eye will no longer see the light.
This shows that light travels in a straight line.
 Reversibility of light

It is the phenomenon where light travelling in

a certain direction can be made to travel along
the same path but in opposite direction.
 LASER

A laser is a device for producing a narrow

beam of very intense and bright light of the
same wavelength.
The narrow, intense and bright light is called
laser beam.
L A S E R stands for “Light Amplification by
Stimulated Emission of Radiation”
 IMAGES

Image is the duplicate structure of a body and

this is formed when light rays coming from the
body converge.
A body that forms an image is called object.
When the image is large it is also said to be
bright.
 Types of image

There are two types of images and they are;

• Real image
• Virtual image
 REAL IMAGE

A real image is an image that can be formed

on a screen when proper rays meet. All real
images are turned upside down (inverted)
with respect to the object.
 VIRTUAL IMAGE

Virtual image is formed when apparent

(virtual) rays are imagined to meet.
Virtual image can not be formed on a screen.
However, can be formed on plane mirrors,
convex mirrors etc.
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN REAL IMAGE AND VIRTUAL IMAGE

REAL IMAGE VIRTUAL IMAGE

1. Formed when actual rays 1. Formed when apparent
converge rays converge
2. Can be formed on a 2. Cannot be formed on a
screen screen

3. It is turned upside down 3. It is upright (erect)with respect

(inverted) with respect to the to the object
object
 PIN-HOLE CAMERA

This is the first camera ever invented. A pin-hole camera is made from a light–
proof closed box whose inside is painted black to prevent reflection of light
inside it.
A small hole is made on one face of the box with the tip of pin or needle. The
hole is called pin-hole.
 PIN-HOLE CAMERA

The face opposite the pin–hole has oiled paper pasted on

it on the inside which acts as the screen.
An object placed in front of the camera forms a real,
diminished and inverted image on the screen.
If the screen is replaced by a photographic plate, the
image formed on it can be developed and printed.
The pin-hole camera works using the principle of
rectilinear propagation of light to form images on the
screen.
 Characteristics of image formed by pin-hole camera

• The image is real and smaller than the object

• The image is inverted (turned upside down)
• If the hole is very small, the formed is clear,
sharp and distinct
• If the hole is large or wide the image formed is
bright and blurred
• The closer the object to the camera, the
bigger and brighter the image and vice versa.
 Advantage of pin-hole camera

It does not require focusing by way of

adjustment.
In view of this, the pin-hole camera is said to
have an infinite depth of focusing.
 Disadvantage of pin-hole camera

1. The camera takes a long time to form an

image on the screen because the hole is small,
the amount of light energy that enters the
camera is small.
2. The camera must always be covered with a
black cloth.
 Mathematical Expression on Pin-Hole Camera

Where ho = object height

u = object distance
v = image distance
hi = image height
 Linear Magnification (m)

Magnification gives an idea of how many times

an image is bigger than the object.
It is defined mathematically as:
Magnification(m) = that is m =

Again Magnification(m) = that is m =

Comparing the two equations then: =

 Note ( about Magnification)

If m > 1, then the image is bigger than the object,

however if m < 1, then the image is smaller than the
object.

In a situation where m = 1 means the image and the

object are of the same size.
Magnification has no unit.

It is also known as lateral or transverse magnification.

Example: A magnification of say 6 means the image is 6

times bigger than the object.
 Sample Questions to Solve

• 1. A tall man of height 1.8m stands in front of

a pin-hole camera. His image is formed on the
screen which is 12.5 cm from the pin-hole. If
the height of the image is 20 cm, how far is
the man from the camera? (1.125 m)

• 2. A boy 120 cm tall stands 3.6 m from a pin-

hole camera. His image is formed on the
screen which is 30 cm from the pin-hole.
Determine the height of his image. (0.1 m)
3. In a pin-hole camera, the distance between the
pin-hole and the screen is 10 cm and is used to
photograph a tree of height 5 m away. If the
magnification is 0.01, calculate
a. the distance of the tree from the camera
b. the height of the image

4. An object of height 250 cm is placed at a distance

of 90 cm in front of a pin hole camera. If the
distance between the pin hole and the screen is 40
cm, find;
a. magnification of the object
b. height of the image
5. An object of length 200cm is photographed
when it is 100cm from the pin hole. If the
distance from pin hole to the film is 10cm,
calculate the length of the image.

6. Height of the screen of a pin-hole camera is

16 cm and it is 18 cm behind the pin-hole. The
camera is 5 m away from a flag which forms
an image on the screen. The image occupies
three-quarters (3/4) of the screen.
a. what is the height of flag?
b. calculate the magnification.
 Exercise

The length of a pin hole camera is 20.0 cm.

a mango tree which is 5.0 m high is at a
distance of 10.0 m from the pin hole.
Determine the height of the image of the
tree.
 SHADOW

A shadow is a dark area cast

either on the floor or any plane
surface when light rays are
blocked by an opaque body.
 TYPES OF SHADOW

There are two types of

shadow .They are;
• Umbra shadow
• Penumbra shadow.
 UMBRA SHADOW

This is a shadow of complete or total darkness

formed as light rays from a small light source
is block by an opaque body.
This is also called the Total Darkness or total
shadow.
ILLUSTRATION
 PENUMBRA SHADOW

This is a shadow in partial darkness formed as

light rays from a large light source are block by
an opaque body.
This is also called the partial darkness or
shadow.
ILLUSTRATION
 Introduction to Eclipse

• Eclipse is the total or partial disappearance of

the sun or moon as seen from the earth.
 SOLAR ECLIPSE

It is a known fact that the moon goes around the earth

and at the same time the earth goes around the sun.
At a point the moon comes between the sun and the earth.
The moon being an opaque body blocks some light rays
from the sun and therefore cast a shadow on the earth.
This phenomenon is called solar eclipse or sometimes
called eclipse of the sun.
 Definition

Solar Eclipse occurs when the moon comes in

between the sun and the earth and the moon
cast both total and partial shadow on the
surface of the earth.
 ANNULAR ECLIPSE

Annular eclipse occurs when the moon comes in

between the earth and the sun and the moon cast
only partial shadow on the earth surface because
the earth is at far distance away.
 LUNAR ECLIPSE

The moon goes around the earth and at the same time the earth
goes around the sun. At a point the earth comes between the sun
and the moon. The earth is an opaque body and therefore cast a
shadow on the moon. The sun being a large light source, the earth
cast both total shadows and partial shadow.
This is known as lunar eclipse or eclipse of the moon. Because the
earth is large in size, its shadow is also broad.
The moon therefore takes a longer period to cross over the earth’s
shadow.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOLAR ECLIPSE AND LUNAR ECLIPSE
 REFLECTION OF LIGHT

• Introduction

Reflection of light is the phenomenon where by light

after falling on a hard smooth surface, is bounced off
to take a different direction without any change in the
amplitude, frequency and wavelength of the light.
A change in direction of light changes its velocity
because velocity is a vector quantity.
 Reflectors
The surface which reflects the light is called
reflector. The light that falls on a reflector is
called the incident light and light that is
deflected from the reflector is called reflected
light.
A good reflector is one whose surface is smooth,
highly polished, and white in colour.
However a bad reflector is one whose is rough,
dull, and black. A bad reflector is rather a good
absorber .
 White light

Light rays from the sun, stars, lamps and

fluorescent tube are called visible light or
white light.
White light consists of seven colours and they
are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo
and Violet. (R O Y G B I V)
 NOTE

Generally, the colour of light which a body

reflects gives the body its colour.
For instance if body appears red, it is because
when light falls on the body, the body reflects
only red light to the eye of an observer.
A yellow object will therefore look red in red light
and green in green light because it is a mixture of
the two colours.
 Types of Reflection

The two types of reflection of light are;

• Regular Reflection
• Irregular Reflection
 REGULAR REFLECTION

This occurs when parallel beam of light falling on a

hard surface is reflected and the reflected beam is
parallel.
For regular reflection, the reflecting surface must
be hard, smooth and highly polished surface such
as mirror. It is also called streamline reflection or
spectacular reflection.
 IRREGULAR REFLECTION

This occurs when parallel beam of light falling on a surface is

reflected in different directions.
The rays are neither parallel, convergent, nor divergent. It
also occurs on reflectors whose surfaces are hard, rough and
dull.
It is also called diffuse reflection or scattered reflection
 LAWS OF REFLECTION

• Diagram THE LAWS OF REFLECTION

STATES THAT;
incident ray normal reflected ray
• 1st Law: The incident ray,
reflected ray and the normal
at the point of incident all
i r
lies in the same plane.
mirror

• 2nd Law: The angle of

incidence is equal to the
angle of reflection.
(angle i = angle r) from the
diagram.
 EXPERIMENT TO VERIFY THE LAWS OF REFLECTION

• Apparatus: white paper, sharpen pencil, four

optical pins, a plane mirror, in a wooden support
and a drawing board etc.
Procedure
 PARALLAX

• It is the apparent movement of objects owing

to the movement on the path of the observer.

Practical illustration
An illustration is when viewing outside from a
moving bus the objects viewed appears to be
moving relatively to each other.