Light Objects can absorb light, reflect light, and allow light to pass through them. The type of matter in an object determines the amount of light it absorbs, reflects, and transmits.

Opaque Objects that are opaque only absorbs and reflects light – no light passes through it. My walls are opaque as is this beehive.

Transparent Translucent materials transmit almost all of the light that strikes them.

Translucent Translucent objects allow some light to pass through them but you can not see through them perfectly. Curtains and frosted glass are translucent.

Law of Reflection The Law of Reflection states that whatever angle the light wave strikes a surface, the light wave will be reflected at that same angle.

Question Why can you see your reflection on a smooth marble floor and not a brick building?

Answer Rough surfaces like brick walls…..cause diffuse reflection which is when the uneven surface causes incoming parallel light waves to be reflected in many different directions.

Refraction Refraction is caused by a change in the speed of the wave when it passes from one material (medium) to another.

Index of Refraction A property of the material that indicates how much it reduces the speed of light (how much it makes the light bend). If Index of Refraction is a big number, the more the light is slowed down… Eyeglasses, binoculars, cameras, and microscopes use refraction.

Prisms The triangular prism refracts the light twice (once when it enters and again when it leaves the prism.) Because the longer wavelengths of light are refracted less than the shorter wavelengths, red light is bent the least and the colors seem to separate out.

Rainbows Rain drops also refract light just like prisms. The refraction of the different wavelengths can cause white light from the sun to separate into different colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.)

Mirages A mirage is an image of a distant object produced by the refraction of light through air layers of different densities.