Light: What is it?

A form of energy we can see

Because of Light - Objects can be seen when they

• Give off light

• reflect light (bounce light off the surface)

Light Travels: Straight Line

• Light travels this way until it hits something

Light Travels: Reflection

• Light bounced off an object with a smooth surface.

• Light will reflect at the same angle that it hit the reflective object.

• Rough surfaces scatter light instead of reflecting it.

Light Travels: Absorption

• Light is absorbed (taken in) by an object.

• The object gets warmer as the light changes to heat (thermal) energy.

Light Travels: Refraction

• Light transmits through an object.

• It changes direction when it passes from one material (medium) to another.

• It is the bending of light.

Seeing Color

• Different materials absorb more light of certain colors and reflect more light of other colors.

• Colors are the way we see reflected light.

To See Color: Black

• The object absorbs most colors of light

• Light energy changes to heat energy

To See Color: White

• The object reflects most colors of light

• Not as much chance for light energy to change to heat energy.