The Science of Light

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Questions and Answers

What type of light can humans see?

  • Visible light (correct)
  • Ultraviolet light
  • Infrared light
  • Gamma rays

What causes the sky to appear blue on a sunny day?

  • The presence of blue-colored gases in the atmosphere
  • The reflection of blue light from the ocean
  • The combination of all wavelengths of light
  • The scattering of blue wavelengths by air molecules (correct)

How fast does light travel?

  • Roughly 500,000 kilometers per second
  • Approximately 400,000 kilometers per second
  • Almost 200,000 kilometers per second
  • About 300,000 kilometers per second (correct)

Which colors are considered primary colors of light?

<p>Red, green, and blue (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to light wavelengths when we see a red apple?

<p>The apple reflects red wavelengths and absorbs other colors (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the change in color of the sky during sunset?

<p>Color scattering (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of light can some insects detect that humans cannot?

<p>Infrared light (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is created when all colors of light are combined?

<p>White (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How long does sunlight take to travel from the sun to the Earth?

<p>8 minutes (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to starlight as it travels to Earth?

<p>It might arrive after the star has died (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

What is light?

Light is a form of energy that allows us to see things. It travels in straight lines and is made up of electromagnetic radiation.

What is visible light?

Visible light is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that humans can see. It's the type of light that we use to see colors.

What are ultraviolet and infrared light?

Ultraviolet and infrared are types of electromagnetic radiation that humans cannot see because their wavelengths are beyond the range that our eyes can detect.

How fast does light travel?

Light travels at an incredibly fast speed, approximately 300,000 kilometers per second.

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How do we see colors?

The different colors we see are caused by the different wavelengths of light that are reflected by objects.

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What are the primary colors of light?

Red, green, and blue are the primary colors of light. They can be combined to create other colors.

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What are the secondary colors of light?

Yellow, cyan, and magenta are the secondary colors of light. They are produced by mixing two primary colors.

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What happens when all colors of light are combined?

When all the colors of light are combined, they create white light.

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Why is the sky blue?

The sky appears blue because molecules in the air scatter blue light more effectively than other colors.

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Why does the sunset appear orange or red?

When the sun sets, the light travels through more of the atmosphere, and the shorter wavelengths of blue light are scattered away, leaving longer wavelengths like orange and red to dominate.

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Study Notes

What is Light?

  • Light is a form of electromagnetic energy vital for sight.
  • Sunlight is a primary source of light.
  • Light travels in a straight line.
  • Visible light is only a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Types of Light

  • Humans can only see a small range within the light spectrum called visible light.
  • There are other types of light, including ultraviolet and infrared, humans cannot see.
  • Insects have the ability to see infrared light.

Speed of Light

  • Light travels extremely fast (almost 300,000 kilometers per second or 186,000 miles per second).
  • It takes approximately 8 minutes for sunlight to reach Earth.
  • Light from distant stars may have already ceased to exist before it reaches the Earth.

Colors of Light

  • Visible light is made up of various wavelengths that correspond to different colours.
  • Three primary colors are red, green and blue.
  • Mixing these colors generates secondary colors: yellow, cyan, and magenta.
  • White light is created when all colors combine.

Why the Sky is Blue

  • The atmosphere is composed of tiny particles called molecules.
  • Sunlight's shorter wavelengths (blue light) are scattered more effectively by these molecules than longer wavelengths (like red).
  • This scattering phenomenon is why we see a blue sky.

Why the Sunset is Red/Orange

  • As the sun sets, the light has to travel through more of the atmosphere.
  • The blue light is scattered away.
  • The longer wavelengths (red and orange) are more prominent, causing a reddish or orange sunset.

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