Behavior of Light
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Transcript of Behavior of Light
Behavior of Light
Light and Materials
• Without light, nothing is visible• Materials can be transparent, translucent and
opaque• Each type of material will affect the behavior
of light in different ways
Transparent, Translucent and Opaque
• A transparent material transmits light which means it allows most of the light to pass through
• Examples: water or window• A translucent material scatters light• Examples: glycerin soap or frosted window• An opaque material absorbs or reflects all
of the light that hits it• Examples: wooden desk, metal chair, most
materials are opaque
Light
• When light strikes a material it can be transferred to the matter
• The light is reflected, absorbed or transmitted• When the light is transmitted it can be
refracted, polarized or scattered
Reflection
• An image is a copy of an object formed by reflected(or refracted) waves of light
• Regular reflection occurs when parallel light waves hit a surface and reflect all in the same direction
• Regular reflection occurs when light hits a smooth, polished surface ex. A still lake
Diffuse Reflection
• A diffuse reflection occurs when parallel light waves strike a rough, uneven surface and reflect in many different directions
• This occurs when light reflects a rough lake and you see a blurred image
Refraction• A light wave will bend or refract when it
passes at an angle from one medium to another
• Refraction will make objects under water seem larger and closer
• Refraction can also cause a mirage which is a false or distorted image
Polarization
• Light with waves that vibrate in only one plane is polarized light
• A horizontal polarizing filter stops waves on a vertical plane
• A vertical polarizing filter stops waves on a horizontal plane
• Polarized sunglasses have vertically polarized filters to block horizontal light
Scattering
• Scattering means that light is redirected as it passes through a medium
• Scattering makes reddens the sun at sunrise and sunset
• The blue and green light has been scattered so the orange and red are the colors we see
• The sky is blue since the Earth’s atmosphere scatters the blue light in all directions, the air is actually colorless