Light

Light an d Dark
• Recognise that light is needed to be able to see and
understand that darkness is the absence of light
• Understand that some light, such as sunlight, can be
dangerous to the eye
• Notice that light is reflected from surfaces

Light and Dark

Light is a form of energy. It is needed to be able to see; Key Point
when it is dark, it is difficult to see. Darkness happens Some plants
when there is little or no light. and animals can
produce light, such
Sources of Light as fireflies, jellyfish
A light source is something that makes light. Light sources and some types of
can be either natural or artificial. mushrooms.

Natural:
Sun Lightning Fire

Working
Scientifically
Have a look
around your home.
What light sources
can you find? Are
Artificial:
there more natural
Torch Lamp Glow sticks
or artificial sources
of light?

Key Point
Artificial light sources need a supply of energy. This usually
comes from batteries or mains electricity (electricity Light comes from
provided through electrical sockets), although some lots of different
sources, such as glow sticks and fireworks, get their energy sources and is
from chemical reactions. needed to be able
to see.

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 The Sun
The Sun is the most powerful source of natural light. It is
St udy
vital to life on Earth.
Light from the Sun is so Tip
powerful that it can be
dangerous and can damage To protect your
the eye. It is important to eyes, follow
protect the eyes from the Sun these three steps:
and to never look directly at it. 1. Never look
directly at the Sun.
Wearing sunglasses or a 2. Do not shine
sunhat and staying in the lights directly into
shade are simple and effective the eye.
ways to protect the eyes. 3. Wear sunhats
and sunglasses in
Light Reflects bright sunlight.
• Light can be reflected off the surfaces of the objects
around it.
• Light reflected from an object allows us to see.
• Light reflects from a surface at the same angle that Key Point
it hits it. Light can be
Smooth, bright, lightly-coloured and shiny materials and reflected and will
objects, like mirrors, reflect almost all the light that falls on reflect from the
to them. Some special fabrics also reflect a lot of light and objects it falls on.
can be used to make clothing that can be seen more easily
in the dark.
Dull, dark and rough materials do not reflect the light as
well, and absorb some of the light energy.

Quick Test
1. True or false? Light is necessary to be able to see.
2. Name two natural sources of light.
3. Name two ways that our eyes can be protected from
Key Words
the Sun.
4. Complete the sentence: Light that is not reflected • Light source
from an object is . • Artificial

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 Light

How Light Travels

• Know that light travels in straight lines
• Understand that objects can be seen because they make or
reflect light which travels into the eye
• Explain how light travels from a source to help us see things

How Light Travels

Light travels in straight
lines. It cannot bend
around corners or go
around objects by itself.
It also travels extremely
quickly; in fact, it is the
fastest known thing in the
universe.
Unlike sound, light does not need a material to travel
through. It can travel in a vacuum. This is important Key Point
because it means that light from the Sun can travel Light travels very
through space to the Earth. quickly in straight
lines and cannot
How Objects are Seen bend around
Sometimes, light produced by a source travels directly to corners.
the eye allowing us to see the object. The light made by a
fire, for example, travels in straight lines into the eye.
Objects that do not produce light themselves can be seen
Key Point
because they reflect light from another source.
Objects are seen
because they
produce or reflect
light that travels to
the eye.

In the diagram, light

travels from the Sun to
the ball; it is reflected and
then travels into the eye.

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 Once light enters the eye, a message is sent to the brain,
and the brain interprets what it is seeing. St udy
Using Reflection
Light travels in straight lines and cannot bend around Key Point
corners or change direction by itself. However, it is possible Mirrors are so
to use reflective objects, like mirrors, to reflect light, smooth and shiny,
changing its direction and making it possible to see things they reflect all
that are normally out of sight. the light that falls
Reflection is useful in everyday life. on them. This is
why objects can
be seen reflected
in them and why
they can be used to
see objects which
would normally be
out of sight.

A periscope
is a piece of Light travels through
the periscope
equipment used to reflecting from mirrors
and reaching the eye. Working
see things that are Scientifically
normally out of
sight. Periscopes
Tree reflects
sunlight
Design and
are used in make your own
submarines to see periscope to
what is happening see around a
above the water. corner. You will
need at least two
mirrors and some
cardboard tubes.
Quick Test
1. In what sort of pathway does light travel?
2. True or false? We see things because we send out
light from our eyes to objects.
3. How do we see the light from a candle? Key Words
4. What can be used to help us see things that are out • Eye
of sight, such as behind us or around a corner? • Brain
5. Give an example of how mirrors are used in • Reflection
everyday life. • Periscope

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 Light

Sh adow s
• Recognise that shadows are formed when an opaque object
blocks light
• Find patterns in the way shadows change in size

Transparent, Translucent and Opaque

Objects made from different materials allow different
amounts of light to pass through them. Objects and
materials can be:
Transparent: allowing all or most light to travel through. It
is possible to see clearly through transparent materials, e.g.
glass, water and air.
Translucent: allowing some light to pass through. It is not
possible to see through translucent objects, e.g. tissue
paper, frosted glass and many fabrics.
Opaque: blocking all light from passing through. It is not
possible to see through opaque objects at all, e.g. wood, Key Point
stone and metal. Opaque materials create shadows when
they block light. Shadows are made
when an opaque
Shadows object blocks light
from a source.
Shadows are dark shapes which are made when an opaque
object blocks light from a source.
A shadow will usually be a similar shape to the object that
made it.

Light source

Object

Shadow

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 Changing Shadows
While the shape of a shadow will usually be similar to the St udy
object that made it, it can be changed and distorted. The
size of a shadow can change depending on the distance of Key Point
the object from the light source or the position of the light
source in relation to the object. When an object is
closer to a source of
Objects which are closer to the light source block more
light, it will make a
light and make bigger shadows.
bigger shadow than
Low morning Sun
when it is further
away because it
blocks more light
from the source.

More light is
blocked by
the tree

Working
Scientifically
A long shadow
is formed Try making your
own shadow
Shadows made in the morning and evening are much
puppets using
longer than shadows made at midday. This is because the
card shapes and
Sun is lower in the sky in the morning and evening so the
lolly sticks. Shine
person or object will be blocking more light and making a
a torch on to the
bigger shadow. At midday, the Sun is overhead so less light
puppet in a dark
is being blocked and the shadow is smaller.
room. How does
the size of the
Quick Test shadow change
1. Which word describes a material or object that when you change
allows most or all light to pass through it called? the distance
2. Which word describes objects or materials that between the torch
create shadows? and the puppet?
3. True or false? A shadow is usually the same shape as
the object that made it.
4. Which will make a bigger shadow: an object that
is close to the light source or an object that is
Key Words
further away?
5. Shadows can change when the light source is closer • Transparent
or further away. How else can the size of a shadow • Translucent
be changed? • Opaque

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 Light

Practice Question s
Challenge 1

1 Use the words provided to complete the sentences.

light see dark

a) To be able to we need .
2 marks

b) When there is no light it is .

1 mark

2 Tick the statement that is untrue.

Light travels in straight lines. Light can bend around objects.
Without light, it is difficult to see. Light can be reflected.
1 mark

Challenge 2

1 Tilly is looking at a video on her computer. Explain how Tilly sees the video.

2 marks

2 Name one natural and one artificial source of light.

2 marks

3 What happens when an opaque object blocks the light from a source?
1 mark

Challenge 3

1 Harry can see a statue from his bedroom window. He notices that he can
only see it during the day and that the shadow it makes changes in size.
a) How is it possible for Harry to see the statue during the day?

3 marks

b) Why can Harry not see the statue at night?

2 marks

c) Why does the statue’s shadow change during the day?

2 marks

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 Rocks and Earth and Space

Re vie w Question s

1 Which type of rock is made when small stones, sand and mud get
compressed together?

1 mark

2 What word describes a rock that does not allow water to pass through it?

1 mark

3 Basalt, granite and pumice are all examples of which type of rock?

1 mark

4 Fossils are most likely to be found in which type of rock?

1 mark

5 Name two things that soil is made from.

1 mark

6 Which type of mud is thick, heavy and sticky and can be rolled into a
sausage shape?

1 mark

7 In our solar system, which is the third planet from the Sun?

1 mark

8 The Sun, the Earth and the Moon are all the same shape.
What shape are they?

1 mark

9 What force keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun?

1 mark

10 True or false? The Moon reflects the light from the Sun.
1 mark

11 What does the Earth do that brings about day and night?

1 mark

12 How can the position of the Sun be used to tell what time of day it is?

2 marks

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