How Does Light Allow Me To See?
In bright light our pupils get smaller and in darkness they get larger.
How do our eyes adjust to darkness?
Sunlight is absorbed by objects, including our body, where its energy can be transformed into heat (thermal energy).
Why does the sunlight feel warm?
White light is composed of many colors.
How can white light be separated into the colored lights of which it is composed?
We experimented with a cardboard divider and a transparent divider in the light box.
Why can I see through some objects but not others?
A clear glass is this.
What is transparent?
The light from a light source is scattered off objects and enters my eyes where it leads to the generation of an electrical signal where my brain interprets the information.
How do my eyes let me see?
The surface of the mirror is very smooth, and therefore it reflects the light evenly.
Why can I see my reflection in a mirror but not in wood?
If the light illuminating the object does not contain red light, than it will be absorbed by the red object. No light will be scattered back to our eyes, and we will perceive the object as black.
How can light make a red object look black?
We used different computer simulations and shined lights through prisms and cups of water that showed us how light is composed of many colors.
How can white light be separated into the colored lights of which it is composed?
It's speed is about 186,000 miles per hour.
What is the speed of light?
Light spreads from a source in straight lines in all directions.
How does light travel?
The surface of wood is rough and it scatters light in different directions, so light entering the eye doesn't look like it's coming from one place, and an image cannot be formed.
Why can I see my reflection in a mirror but not in wood.
When some colors are mixed, our eyes perceive the mixture as a new color. Since more light is interpreted by us as greater brightness, the mixture appears brighter than the original colors.
How can light be mixed to make new colors?
We experimented with various colored light bulbs and filters in computer simulations that showed us that the reflected light was made of the same colors as the transmitted light; therefore we concluded that the “missing” colors were absorbed.
How can white light be changed into red, or almost any other color of light?
When light reaches a brick wall it will do this.
What is reflect/scatter?
We took a pet or person into a dark room, turned the lights off and back on to learn this.
How do our eyes adjust to darkness?
An opaque object blocks the light (it is scattered, reflected, and/or absorbed), while a transparent object lets the light pass through it.
Why can I see through some objects but not others?
A colored object scatters some colors of light and absorbs all the other colors of light.
How do I see color?
We experimented with paper and a mirror, and saw the difference between smooth and rough objects. The wet road is smooth like the mirror.
Why is it possible to see an image of a car on a wet road, but not on a dry road?
Objects that transmit light are called this.
What is opaque?
We experimented with the light box and discovered the conditions needed in order to see.
How do my eyes let me see?
When light is absorbed, it transfers this.
What is heat or (thermal) energy?
Filters can separate the colors in white light by absorbing certain colors and transmitting the rest.
How can white light be changed into red, or almost any other color of light?
We experimented with 2 beakers of water - one with clear and one with dyed water.
Why does the sunlight feel warm?
The colors of the rainbow.
What are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet?