Optics

Group 2

Objectives:
Think: Describe the different types of light waves Intuit: Predict the transmission of light that occurs in different objects Feel: Appreciate the importance of light in our life Do: Demonstrate the wave properties of light Communicate: Relate the diffusion of light in different materials in oral and in written forms Lead: Enlighten students and others that light is as essential to living as breathing Be: Serve as the light to others

Bible Scripture
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

Matthew 5: 13-15

Optics
The scientific study of light. Physical optics is concerned with the creation, nature, and properties of light. Psychological optics pertains to the role of light in vision. Geometrical optics deals with the properties of reflection and refraction of light, as part of the study of mirrors, lenses, and optical fibers.

Light
Light is a form of radiant energy that you can detect with your eyes. Light energy comes from chemical energy, electrical energy and nuclear energy. It is a combination of electrical and magnetic energy that travels very, very fast.

Light travels VERY FAST around 300,000 kilometres per second.

At this speed it can go around the world 8 times in one second.

Light travels much faster than sound. For example:

1. 1.Thunder and lightning start at the same time, but we will see the lightning first.

2) When a starting pistol is fired we see the smoke first and then hear the bang.

We see things because they reflect light into our eyes:

Homework

Sources of light
luminous - objects that emit their own light (sun) non-luminous - objects that do not emit light (flashlight that is switched off)

Examples of luminous light sources

a) light from incandescence - the process of emitting light because of high temperature b) light from electrical discharge - the process of emitting light because of electricity passing through a gas c) light from fluorescence - the process of emitting light while receiving energy from another source d) light form phosphorescence - the process of emitting light for some time after receiving energy from another source

Properties of Light summary

1.Light travels in straight lines 2.Light travels much faster than sound 3.We see things because they reflect light into our eyes

4.Shadows are formed when light is blocked by an object

Light and Matter

It can pass through anything that is transparent, sort of passes through translucent objects (frosted window) but doesn't make it through opaque objects such as a brick wall.

Light, however, is slowed down by the presence of matter. The extent to which this occurs depends on what the light is traveling through. Light travels at about 3/4 of its vacuum speed (0.75 c ) in water and about 2/3 its vacuum speed (0.67 c ) in glass.

Colour
White light is not a single colour; it is made up of a mixture of the seven colours of the rainbow.

We can demonstrate this by splitting white light with a prism:

This is how rainbows are formed: sunlight is split up by raindrops.

The colours of the rainbow:

Red
Orange Yellow Green Blue

Indigo
Violet

Adding colours
White light can be split up to make separate colours. These colours can be added together again. The primary colours of light are red, blue and green:
Adding blue and red makes magenta (purple) Adding blue and green makes cyan (light blue)

Adding red and green makes yellow

Adding all three makes white again

Seeing colour
The colour an object appears depends on the colours of light it reflects. For example, a red book only reflects red light:

White light

Only red light is reflected

A pair of purple trousers would reflect purple light (and red and blue, as purple is made up of red and blue):

Purple light

A white hat would reflect all seven colours:

White

light

Using coloured light

If we look at a coloured object in coloured light we see something different. For example, consider a football kit:

Shirt looks red White light Shorts look blue

In different colours of light this kit would look different:

Red light

Shirt looks red

Shorts look black

Shirt looks black Blue light Shorts look blue