.7 UNDERSTANDING LIGHT AND SIGHT PROPERTIES OF LIGHT Light is a form of energy that travels at the speed 300,000,000m/s.

Approximately 7.5 rounds of the earth in 1 second. Light travels in a straight lines within the same medium (or medium with the same optical density). Light is reflected when it hits an opaque surface. Light is reflected when it travels from one transparent medium to another. REFLECTION OF LIGHT Light which falls on an opaque object may be absorb or reflected. Reflection takes place when light rays which fall on the surface of an opaque object bounces off it. The amount and direction of the reflected light depend on the type of surface the light fall on. Incident ray is the ray of light that approach es the surface. Reflected ray is the ray of light that bounces off the surface of an object.

Rough and uneven surfaces such as cloth and wood (right) cause diffused reflection (light reflection is scattered. Smooth and flat surfaces such as mirrors, glass and shinny metals (left) cause regular reflection (light reflected regularly). Application of reflection of light in daily life Plane mirrors are used in bathrooms or bedrooms. Side mirrors and rear-view mirrors are used in cars. Convex mirrors give wider scope of view and used as security mirrors in shop and fish-eye mirrors at road bends. Concave mirrors magnify images and are used in microscopes and telescopes. Periscopes are used to see above the water surface in submarines. A periscope consists of two plane mirror and change the direction of light. Kaleidoscopes form colourful images. They are made from two or more plane mirrors which reflect the light from objects placed between the mirrors.

Kaleidoscopes for kids

View of pattern inside kaleidoscopes

convex mirror used in a supermarket

REFRACTION OF LIGHT Light can travel through transparent media such as air, water and glass. Light travels at different speeds in different media. When light travels from one medium into another, the change in the speed of light causes the light to bend or change direction. The refraction of light is the bending of light as light travels through two types of media that have different densities (optical density). The speed of light increases when light enters a less dense medium meanwhile the speed of light decreases when light enters a denser medium. Refraction of light does not occur when the light ray is directly perpendicular to the surface of the medium (the light travel into the medium in the direction of the normal line), the light will pass through the medium in a straight line.

Phenomenon of refraction of light. The pencil which is in water appear bended to the observer. The refraction of light ray

Phenomenon of refraction of light. Scuba diver appear closer to the observer when it is in the water.

VISION DEFECTS AND WAYS TO CORRECT THEM An image is focused exactly on the retina for a person with normal vision. The common defects of vision are : short-sightedness, long-sightedness, astigmatism, colour blindness and presbyopia.

Light ray which enter a normal eye will be focus on the retina.

long-sightedness (can not view clearly for near object) the light focus at the back of retina

Short-sightedness (can not view clearly for far object) the light focus in front of the retina

SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS (MYOPIA) When someone suffer from shortsightedness has the condition of unable to see the distant objects clearly. The two causes: the eye lens is too tick and the eyeball is too long. Therefore, light from distant object is focused in front of the retina (as shown in the diagram above). The correction method is to wear glasses with concave lenses. The lenses diverge light rays before they enter the eye to form a sharp image on the retina.

The black line illustrate the situation of light been focus in front of the retina. The red line illustrate the situation of light after passing through the concave lens and undergoes divergence, then been focus on the retina.

LONGSIGHTEDNESS (HYPERMETRO PIA) When someone suffer from longsightedness has the condition of unable to see the near objects clearly. The two causes: the eye lens is too thin or the eyeball is too short. Therefore, light from distant object is focused at the back of the retina (as shown in the diagram above). The black line illustrate the light ray which been focused at the back of the retina. The red The correction line illustrate the situation of light after passing through the convex lens and undergoes convergence, then been focused on the retina. method is to wear glasses with convex lenses. The lenses converge light rays before they enter the eye to form a sharp image on the retina. ASTIGMATI SM Astigmatism is caused by the irregular surface of the cornea or lens or both. The eye is unable to focus objects into a single, Vision for people who suffer from Astigmatism. sharp image. Example of Astigmatic cornea (cornea for A blur image due to multiple focus point cause Therefore, people who suffer from Astigmatism) by the irregular surface of the cornea. the images seen by

astigmatic patient are distorted and not clear. To correct the situation, the patient have to wear glasses with cylindrical lenses, wear special contact lenses or undergoes surgery. COLOUR BLINDNESS Due to shortage of cone cells on the retina. Most of the people who suffer from colour blindness can not differentiate between red and green colours. The situation can not be corrected because it is hereditary.
People with colour blindness can not read "8" from the picture, because they can not differentiate green dots and red dots.

LIMITATIONS OF SIGHT We can not see microscopic objects, distant objects, we can not see through opaque objects and when the light fall on the blind spot.

Blind Spot

Let the computer screen be 30cm from your eyes. Focus on the rabbit and close your right eye. Move closer to the screen in a straight line. At some point the magic hat will lost from your view.

OPTICAL ILLUSION

DEVICES USED TO OVERCOME THE LIMITATIONS OF SIGHT MICROSC OPE An instrument which magnifies tiny(micro) objects such as bacteria (micro organism) or cells. Uses two convex lenses: the objective lens and the eyepieces lens.
Image of flea after been magnify by 86x under electron microscope.

Electron Microscope-which is much more powerful compare to light microscope

This is a much more advance telescope which can catch better image compare with the telescope with tripod stand on the right

TELESCOPE Telescope is an optical instrument used by human being to explore the deep space. In order for us to have a better idea regarding our space, we need to keep improving our technology through optical physic study which learn about electromagnetic wave (light). HUBBLE TELESCOPE Hubble-Telescope is the most advance telescope which ever been build by human being. Below show some photo caught by using Hubble Telescope.

Telescope to view the sky.

The image caught by Hubble Telescope.

The image caught by Hubble Telescope.

Part of Hubble Telescope which been launch into space and spin in the orbit

With our eyes, we can only see this.

STEREOSCOPIC VISION AND MONOCULAR VISION

Rabbit categorized as monocular vision animal; Monkey categorized as stereoscopic animal.

MONOCULAR VISION - The field of vision in both eyes either do not overlap or may overlap only a little. - It gives a wider field of vision. Monocular vision sometimes covers 360. - It does not form a three-dimensional image. - Not able to estimate the positions and distances accurately. - Prey have monocular vision. - It enables prey such as deer and goats to detect predators from any angle.

STEREOSCOPIC VISION - The field of stereoscopic vision is the area where the visual fields of both eyes overlap - It gives a smaller field of vision. - it forms a three-dimensional image. - Able to estimate the position and distance of an object more accurately. - Human beings and predators have stereoscopic vision. - It enables predators such as owls and tigers to determine accurately the position of their prey.

1.8 SOUND AND HEARING Sound is a form of energy. Sounds are produced by vibrations. When an object vibrates, kinetic energy is changed to sound energy. Musical instruments like the guitar and violin produce sound through vibrations.

Guitar produce sound, when the strings vibrate. Sound is form of wave, and it need medium to travel. Tuning fork produce sound when it vibrate.

THE NEED FOR A MEDIUM FOR SOUND TO TRAVEL Sound needs a medium to travel. Sound can travel trough solids, liquids and gases. Sound cannot travel through a vacuum. Sound travels faster through solids than through liquids. This is because particles are arranged closely in solids. They can pass on vibration quickly. Sound travels the slowest through gases because the particles are arranged loosely. Therefore, the transfer of vibrations occurs slowly.