Light Shadows and Reflections
Define the following:
1. Luminous objects
Ans: Luminous items are those that can produce their own light. Luminous items include the sun,
star, moon, lit candle, and so on.
2. Non-luminous objects
Ans: Non-luminous items are those that do not produce their own light. Non-luminous things include
books, cardboard, cloth, and paper.
3. Transparent
Ans: Transparent objects are those that allow all light to pass through them fully. These things allow
one to see right through them. Transparent items include air, clear water, and cellophane tape.
4. Translucent
Ans: Translucent objects are those that allow just a small amount of light to flow through them. One
can only see through such items partially and not very well.
Translucent things include oiled paper, coloured glass panes, coloured solutions, and so forth.
5. Opaque
Ans: Opaque objects are those that do not allow any light to flow through them at all.
These items are impossible to see through. Opaque items include cardboard, metal, wood, and other
materials.
Short Answer Questions: 3 Marks
6. What are shadows? Mention the properties of shadows.
Ans: A shadow is a dark area created by an opaque object blocking light from a source of light.
I. Shadow of any object/person is erect.
II. Shadow forms a real image.
7. Demonstrate that light moves in a straight line.
Ans: Stepwise process to demonstrate that light moves in a straight line:
I. Light a candle.
II. See the burning candle through a straight pipe (shown below).
III. Second time, view the burning candle through a bent pipe (shown below).
Result: The first time you viewed the candle through a straight pipe light reached your eyes whereas
in the second attempt you could not see the light.
8. Classify the following objects as luminous or non-luminous: Air, star, book, torch, lit matchstick,
burning candle.
Ans:
Air Non-Luminous
Star Luminous
Book Non-Luminous
Torch Luminous
Lit Matchstick Luminous
Burning Candle Luminous
9. Classify the following as transparent, translucent or opaque: Oiled paper, clear water, aluminium
foil, cardboard, air, coloured glass pane.
Ans:
Oiled Paper Translucent
Clear Water Translucent
Aluminium Foil Opaque
Cardboard Opaque
Air Translucent
Coloured Glass Plane Translucent
10. What is a mirror? How does it work?
Ans: A smooth shiny surface that reflects a clear image of an item is referred to as a mirror. The
image in the mirror is created by light rays reflecting off the surface. The object's light hits the mirror
and bounces or reflects back at the same angle. The image of the thing in the mirror is created by the
reflection of light rays. Mirrors are often made of glass with a metal coating. Due to reflections, the
images generated in the mirror are inverted.
11.Sometimes, you are able to see the Sun or the Moon behind the clouds. What can you say
about the ability of such clouds to transmit light?
Ans:We may say that clouds behave as translucent object.
12.On what factor does the proportion of light that enters an object depend?
Ans:Optical nature of the object.
13.What is an obstacle?
Ans:An object which comes to the path of light is called an obstacle.
14.Define screen.
Ans:Screen is a surface on which images are formed.
15.What is umbra and penumbra?
Ans:Umbra is the dark region behind object facing light which does not receive light at all.
Penumbra is the less dark part of shadow. It is the outer part of shadow.
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:
1. An object or material could be opaque, transparent, translucent or ……………….. .
2. This is a …………… on which the shadow is formed.
3. A …………….. is a dark outline of an opaque object that blocks light coming from a source.
4. Image formed by a pinhole camera is ……………….. .
5. Image formed by a plane mirror is …………….. .
6. In a plane mirror, our left hand looks like right hand. This phenomenon is called
……………………… .
7. ……………… objects cast no shadow.
8. (viii) Opaque objects cast …………………. shadows in morning and evening while …………………
shadows at noon.
9. Light travels in a ………….. .
10. Shadow is …………… .
Answers:
1. luminous
2. screen
3. shadow
4. upside down
5. erect
6. lateral inversion
7. Transparent
8. big, small
9. straight line
10. three dimensional
11. 1. Whether the moon is luminous or non-luminous body?Ans: Moon is non-
luminous body.
2. What is umbra?
Ans: Umbra is the dark region behind object facing light which does not
receive light at all.
4. Give one natural source of light.
Ans: Sun is a natural source of light.
5. What is shadow?
Ans: Shadow is the dark space behind an opaque object where light does not reach.
3. What is an incandescent body? Give example.
Ans: The bodies which emit light when heated to a very high temperature are called
incandescent bodies. Example: electric bulb.
4.When does a shadow form?
Ans: Shadow is formed when light does not reach behind the opaque object kept in
the path of light
7. Define reflection of light.
Ans: When light rays after striking the smooth and shiny surface return to same
medium, this phenomenon is called reflection of light.
9. How will you convert a glass sheet into a translucent sheet?
Ans: There are following two methods to convert glass sheet into a translucent sheet:
(i) By smearing a thin layer of oil on glass sheet.
(ii) By covering a side of sheet by butter paper.
12. What do you mean by scattering of light?
Ans: When a beam of light falls on a rough surface it is turned back in different
directions. It is called scattering of light.
17. Have you ever seen an ambulance? It is written in the form of mirror image on
vehicles. Explain why it is done so and give the mirror image of AMBULANCE.
Ans: The mirror image of AMBULANACE is ECNALUBMA.
It is written so on the vehicles for the people to see in their rear view mirrors, read it
correctly and immediately give way to the vehicle as it carries patients who need urgent
medication.
16.Write the mirror image of ‘SMART’?
Ans: THAM8
(iii)Three identical towels of red, blue and green colour are hanging on a clothes line in
the sun. What would be the colour of shadows of these towels?-The colour of the shadow
will always be black.
(v)Why you cannot see our images in the mirror in complete dark room? We cannot see
our images in the mirror in complete dark room as there is no light to reflect
(vii) Why polished surface causes glare in your eyes? Polished surface cause glares in
our eyes because they produce regular reflection of light
Name the following:
a. The form of energy that helps us to see.
b. The phenomena when light bounces off an object.
c. The phenomena in which our left hand looks like right hand.
d. Objects that cannot emit light energy by themselves.
e. A smooth surface that reflects a clear image of the object.
f. The materials which allow light to pass through them.
g. An object on which an image from a mirror or lens can be obtained.
h. The darkest part of shadow.
i. Object through which light cannot pass at all.
Answer
a. Light
b. Reflection of light
c. Lateral inversion
d. Non-luminous
e. Plane mirror
f. Transparent
g. Screen
h. Umbra
i. Opaque
