1. Lesson P3 – Properties of Visible Light
Unit 3 - Physics
Lesson P3 –
Properties of Visible Light

2. The Wave Model of Light
The wave model of light is one explanation of light behaviour; it pictures light travelling as a wave.
Light is a type of wave that travels through empty space and transfers energy from one place to another (ex: Sun to Earth)
Visible light is a light you can see.

3. Refraction of Light
Refraction is the bending or changing direction of a wave as it passes from one material to another.
White light, such as sunlight, is made up of waves with different wavelengths and frequencies.
Different wavelengths bend by different amounts:
Longer wavelengths refract less.
Shorter wavelengths refract more.

4. Colours of the Rainbow ROY G BIV:
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet
Red has the longest wavelength and lowest frequency.
Violet has the shortest wavelength and the highest frequency.

5. Producing the Visible Spectrum
Sir Isaac Newton used prisms to demonstrate that white light is the result of mixing together all the different colours of light (ROY G BIV).
Sir Isaac Newton used prisms to demonstrate that white light is the result of mixing together all the different colours of light (ROY G BIV).

6. Colour and Reflection
Reflection occurs when a light wave strikes an object and bounces off.
When sunlight strikes coloured clothing, the colour we see is being reflected while the rest of the colours are being absorbed.
When there is no light to reflect off of an object, there is no colour to be seen (we see black).

8. Additive Primary colours
Only three colours are needed to produce all the colours of the rainbow: red, green, and blue.
Secondary colours
Red + Blue = Magenta
Green + Blue = Cyan
Red + Green = Yellow