a word used to describe the incoming light that hits a surface

to reflect light in many directions at once

the cells at the back of the eye that detect colour

a material that absorbs light / gains energy from light travelling through it, decreasing the amount of light

Reflecting colour

Science

In the Waves unit, they will build on this knowledge to learn about the properties and propagation of transverse and longitudinal waves.

In the Sound, light and vision unit, pupils learnt how sound waves travel through different types of medium and are absorbed and reflected, how light is reflected off mirrors, and how the eye can see objects by the light they reflect.

Making images

Which of the following statements explains why a black object looks black?

Which of the following statements explains why a white piece of paper looks white when white light shines on it?

all of the colours that the human eye can see

the range of colours that trigger one type of cone cell

Using the RGB model of white light, we can represent white light using only red, green and blue rays. What does each colour of ray represent?

it absorbs the green and blue light and reflects the red light

it absorbs the green and blue light, and there is no red light

it reflects the green and blue light and absorbs the red light

it reflects the green and blue light, and there is no red light

Why does a white piece of paper look cyan when cyan light shines on it?

Inside a room with no windows, the only light shining is a green light. Which of the following objects in the room look green?

Inside a room with no windows, there is a lamp shining. The light from the lamp looks magenta. Match each object in the room with the colour it appears to be.

Which of the following words means ‘reflect light in many directions at once’?

Light travels from the person’s eyes to the book.

Light hits the book and then travels to the person’s eyes.

The book produces light which travels to the person’s eyes.

Light travels from the person’s eyes to the book and back again.

A person sees a book. Which of the following statements explains how they see the book?

Which of the following colours is seen when blue and red light of equal brightness enter the eye of a person who has full colour vision?

Which of the following colours is seen when red and green light of equal brightness enter the eye of a person who has full colour vision?

Which of the following are names of types of cells in the retina of the eye?

Which of the following are colours that can only be seen when light of more than one colour enters the eye?

Starter Quiz