Science: Light Sources Reflection and Shadows
Exploring how light travels, bounces, and makes shadows
Science: Light Sources Reflection and Shadows
Exploring how light travels, bounces, and makes shadows
Science - Grade 2-3
- 1
Name two objects that are light sources. Then explain why they are light sources.
A light source gives off light by itself.
A lamp and the Sun are light sources because they make their own light that we can see. - 2
Is the Moon a light source? Explain your answer.
Think about whether the Moon makes light or bounces light from the Sun.
The Moon is not a light source because it does not make its own light. We see the Moon because sunlight reflects off it. - 3
Look at this list: flashlight, mirror, candle, book. Which two objects are light sources?
The flashlight and the candle are light sources because they give off light. - 4
What happens when light hits a mirror?
A mirror has a smooth, shiny surface.
When light hits a mirror, the light reflects, or bounces off, the mirror. - 5
A student shines a flashlight on a white wall. The wall looks bright. Is the wall making its own light or reflecting light?
The wall is reflecting light from the flashlight. The wall does not make its own light. - 6
Circle the objects that usually reflect light well: mirror, dull rock, shiny spoon, paper towel. Explain one choice.
Smooth and shiny surfaces reflect more light than rough, dull surfaces.
The mirror and shiny spoon usually reflect light well because they have smooth, shiny surfaces. - 7
How is a shadow made?
Think about light traveling from a flashlight to a wall.
A shadow is made when an object blocks light from reaching a surface. - 8
A toy car is placed between a lamp and a wall. Where will the shadow form?
The shadow will form on the wall behind the toy car, away from the lamp. - 9
Which object would make the darkest shadow: a clear plastic bag, a glass window, or a cardboard box? Explain why.
Objects that block more light make darker shadows.
The cardboard box would make the darkest shadow because it blocks most or all of the light. - 10
A student moves a hand closer to a flashlight while making a shadow on the wall. What will happen to the hand's shadow?
Try thinking about how much light the hand blocks when it is close to the light.
The hand's shadow will usually get bigger when the hand moves closer to the flashlight. - 11
True or false: Shadows can change size. Explain your answer.
This is true. Shadows can change size when the object moves closer to or farther from the light source or the surface. - 12
The Sun is low in the sky in the morning. Will your shadow usually be long or short? Explain your answer.
Think about how your shadow looks early in the day compared with noon.
Your shadow will usually be long because sunlight comes from a low angle in the morning. - 13
Write one way light helps people in everyday life.
Light helps people see objects around them, such as when a lamp helps someone read a book. - 14
A mirror, a shiny metal tray, and a wooden table are placed in sunlight. Which one will likely reflect the most light? Explain why.
The smoother and shinier the surface is, the more light it usually reflects.
The mirror will likely reflect the most light because it is very smooth and shiny. - 15
Draw or describe a simple setup that would make a shadow. Include a light source, an object, and a surface.
One correct setup is a flashlight shining at a cup with a wall behind it. The cup blocks some light, so a shadow forms on the wall.