CAMBRIDGE SECONDARY TWO SCIENCE

CHAPTER 12: LIGHT

12.1 HOW LIGHT TRAVELS

Light travels in straight lines.

A light source is an object that emits its
own light.
Hot objects such as flames and the Sun
are light sources. Some light sources
are not hot for example a computer
screen.

12.1 HOW LIGHT TRAVELS

Light travels in a straight line

12.1 HOW LIGHT TRAVELS

Light travels
Light sources
in a straight line

12.1 HOW LIGHT TRAVELS

We see luminous objects because they

are light sources. We see non-luminous
objects because they reflect light into our
eyes.

12.1 HOW LIGHT TRAVELS

We see non-luminous objects because they reflect light into our eyes

12.2 HOW SHADOWS FORM

When light strikes an object, different

things can happen depending on the
material of the object.

12.2 HOW SHADOWS FORM

Sometimes two of these things can

happen. For example, glass transmits
light but it may also reflect some of it.
A shadow forms when an opaque object
blocks light.
A ray is a straight line which shows the
path of light.

12.2 HOW SHADOWS FORM

How a shadow is formed

12.2 HOW SHADOWS FORM

A shadow is formed where light rays are blocked by the

12.3 HOW LIGHT BENDS

Light is refracted (bent) when it enters or

leaves a transparent material.
A light ray refracts towards the normal
when it passes from air into a transparent
material.
A light ray refracts away from the normal
when it passes from a transparent
material into air.

12.3 HOW LIGHT BENDS

Light ray refracts towards

the normal when it passes
from air into glass

Light ray refracts away from

the normal when it passes
from glass into air

12.4 THE SPECTRUM OF WHITE LIGHT

White light is made up of all the colours

in the spectrum, from red to violet.

The colours of the spectrum

12.4 THE SPECTRUM OF WHITE LIGHT

White light can be split into the spectral

colours using a prism. This is called
dispersion.
Dispersion occurs because some colours
of light are refracted more than others.
Violet bends the most, red the least.
Thus, different colours travel different
directions and can be separated.

12.4 THE SPECTRUM OF WHITE LIGHT

Dispersion of white light

12.5 COLOURED LIGHT

A filter is a piece of coloured plastic or

glass that only allows some colours to
pass through and absorbs others. For
example, a red filter allows red light to
pass through but absorbs the rest.

12.5 COLOURED LIGHT

How coloured filters make light of different colours

12.5 COLOURED LIGHT

The primary colours of light (red, blue and

green) add to make white light.

Coloured lights can add together to make other colours

12.5 COLOURED LIGHT

Objects look different colours because

they reflect some colours of light and
absorb others.
Grass is green because it reflects green
light and absorbs the rest.
A red rose reflects red light and
absorbs the rest.

12.5 COLOURED LIGHT

White objects reflect all colours of light

and black objects absorb all colours.

Why objects look different colours