LightEarth

Energy
and Space
Properties of Light

Junior
Science

Junior
Science
Light Sources
• Something that produces light is
called a light source. There are two
main kinds of light sources:

•Incandescent
•Luminescent sources
Incandescent Light Sources
•Incandescent sources use heat to
produce light.
• At about 2300 °C, the filament in a
light bulb will start to produce all
of the colours of the visible
spectrum, so it will look white.
• The Sun, stars, a flame and molten
metal are all incandescent.
Luminescent Light Sources
• Luminescent sources are
cooler and can be produced
by chemical reactions, such
as in a glow-stick or a glow-
worm.
• Other luminescent sources
include a computer screen,
fluorescent lights and LEDs.
 Objects which give out
light are said to be
luminous.

Objects which reflect

light are said to be
non-luminous.
Light Facts
• Light is a form of ENERGY
• Light particles are called Photons.
• It travels in Rays at a speed of 300,000 km /sec.
• Light only travels in straight lines.
• A light year is the distance travelled by light in 1
year (6 trillion miles).
• It takes 8 min 20 sec for sunlight to reach earth
and 5.5 hours to reach Pluto.
 Importance of Light……

Stonehenge in southern England is believed to be

part of an astronomical device which was completed
in 2000 B.C.

• Already in the stone and bronze ages, human cultures realized the cyclic nature of
motions in the sky.
• Monuments dating back to ~ 3000 B.C. show alignments with astronomical
significance.
• Those monuments were probably used as calendars or even to predict eclipses.
Passage Tombs
The Newgrange
passage tomb was
constructed in such a
way that on the Winter
solstice Dec 21st
light from the rising Sun
penetrates the main
passage shining into
the inner chamber for
just 17 minutes in the
year.
Shadows
Light travels in straight lines

This property of light is called the rectilinear

propagation of light.
What are Shadows?

• Shadows are a direct consequence of

rectilinear propagation of light and are
formed when an object is placed in the
path of light.
Transparent, Opaque, Translucent
• Objects which allows the light to pass
thorough them are called transparent
bodies. (Water, air, glass)
• Objects which do not allow the light to pass
thorough them are called opaque bodies.
(Brick, book, metals, wood )
• Objects which partially allow the light to pass
through them and partially obstruct them are
called translucent bodies (Brick, book,
metals, wood).
 Shadows
• Shadows are evidence that light travels in straight
lines
• Shadows are formed when objects which do not
allow light to pass through them are placed in the
path of Light.
• The dark centre of the shadow is called the UMBRA.
• The area surrounding the umbra is called the
PENUMBRA.
• Shadows resemble shape, but not necessarily the
size, of the object.
 Shadow Formation

Light Source
Umbra and Penumbra
• The Umbra is the part which is in complete
darkness and receives no light from the source.
• The Penumbra is the part which is in partial
darkness and receives some light from the source.
• Shadows resemble shape, but not necessarily the
size, of the object.
 Umbra and Penumbra

Extended Light Source

PENUMBRA

UMBRA
The Solar Eclipse
• When the moon comes between the earth and the
sun in a straight line, a shadow called an ECLIPSE
is cast on the sun.

Sun Earth
The Lunar Eclipse
When the earth comes between the sun and the
Moon in a straight line, a shadow called an ECLIPSE
is cast on the moon.

Sun Earth