ScienceAges 7-9

Light, reflection & shadows

Explore how light travels in straight lines, reflects from mirrors and forms shadows behind opaque objects. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9

Light, reflection & shadows

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. According to the law of reflection on a flat plane mirror, how does the angle of reflection compare to the angle of incidence: they are equal, or the angle of reflection is twice as large?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
2. What astronomical event occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth: a solar eclipse or a lunar eclipse?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
3. Does light require a material medium (like air) to travel, or can it travel through the vacuum of space?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
4. Why do people often wear light-coloured or white clothing in hot sunny weather: white surfaces reflect most sunlight and stay cooler, or white absorbs all heat?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
5. What optical instrument uses two mirrors angled at 45° inside a tube to let an observer see over obstacles: a periscope or a stethoscope?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
6. How does light travel through a uniform medium such as air or vacuum: in straight lines, or in curved loops?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
7. Which light-sensitive layer at the back of the human eye detects focused light and sends signals to the brain via the optic nerve: the retina or the earlobe?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
8. Why does an opaque object cast a dark shadow when placed in front of a torch: light travels in straight lines and cannot pass through the opaque object, or the object absorbs darkness?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
9. What is the imaginary line drawn at 90° (perpendicular) to a mirror surface at the point where a light ray strikes called: the normal or the tangent?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
10. What type of lens is thicker in the middle than at the edges and brings parallel light rays together to a focal point: a convex (converging) lens or a concave lens?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
11. Why does a red apple appear red in white daylight: it reflects red light and absorbs other colours, or it absorbs only red light?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
12. At what time of day are outdoor shadows cast by the Sun shortest: around midday (noon) when the Sun is highest in the sky, or at sunrise?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r

12 questions · Seed 61 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9

Light, reflection & shadows

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. According to the law of reflection on a flat plane mirror, how does the angle of reflection compare to the angle of incidence: they are equal, or the angle of reflection is twice as large?
They are equal
The angle of incidence always equals the angle of reflection (measured from the normal).
2. What astronomical event occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth: a solar eclipse or a lunar eclipse?
Solar eclipse
During a solar eclipse, the Moon blocks sunlight from reaching part of Earth.
3. Does light require a material medium (like air) to travel, or can it travel through the vacuum of space?
It can travel through the vacuum of space
Light is an electromagnetic wave and travels through vacuum at about 300,000 km/s.
4. Why do people often wear light-coloured or white clothing in hot sunny weather: white surfaces reflect most sunlight and stay cooler, or white absorbs all heat?
White surfaces reflect most sunlight and stay cooler
White and shiny surfaces reflect most incident radiation, whereas matt black surfaces absorb it.
5. What optical instrument uses two mirrors angled at 45° inside a tube to let an observer see over obstacles: a periscope or a stethoscope?
Periscope
A periscope reflects light twice through 90° using two parallel 45° mirrors.
6. How does light travel through a uniform medium such as air or vacuum: in straight lines, or in curved loops?
In straight lines
Light rays travel in straight lines in a uniform medium.
7. Which light-sensitive layer at the back of the human eye detects focused light and sends signals to the brain via the optic nerve: the retina or the earlobe?
Retina
Photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) in the retina convert light into nerve impulses.
8. Why does an opaque object cast a dark shadow when placed in front of a torch: light travels in straight lines and cannot pass through the opaque object, or the object absorbs darkness?
Light travels in straight lines and cannot pass through the opaque object
An opaque object blocks straight light rays, leaving a shaded region behind it.
9. What is the imaginary line drawn at 90° (perpendicular) to a mirror surface at the point where a light ray strikes called: the normal or the tangent?
The normal
Angles of incidence and reflection are always measured relative to the normal (90° to the surface).
10. What type of lens is thicker in the middle than at the edges and brings parallel light rays together to a focal point: a convex (converging) lens or a concave lens?
Convex (converging) lens
A convex lens converges parallel rays to a focus and is used in magnifying glasses.
11. Why does a red apple appear red in white daylight: it reflects red light and absorbs other colours, or it absorbs only red light?
It reflects red light and absorbs other colours
Pigments in the apple skin reflect red wavelengths to our eyes and absorb the rest of the spectrum.
12. At what time of day are outdoor shadows cast by the Sun shortest: around midday (noon) when the Sun is highest in the sky, or at sunrise?
Around midday (noon) when the Sun is highest in the sky
When the Sun is high overhead, rays strike steeply and cast short shadows.

12 questions · Seed 61 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9

Light, reflection & shadows

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. According to the law of reflection on a flat plane mirror, how does the angle of reflection compare to the angle of incidence: they are equal, or the angle of reflection is twice as large?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
2. What astronomical event occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth: a solar eclipse or a lunar eclipse?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
3. Does light require a material medium (like air) to travel, or can it travel through the vacuum of space?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
4. Why do people often wear light-coloured or white clothing in hot sunny weather: white surfaces reflect most sunlight and stay cooler, or white absorbs all heat?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
5. What optical instrument uses two mirrors angled at 45° inside a tube to let an observer see over obstacles: a periscope or a stethoscope?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
6. How does light travel through a uniform medium such as air or vacuum: in straight lines, or in curved loops?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
7. Which light-sensitive layer at the back of the human eye detects focused light and sends signals to the brain via the optic nerve: the retina or the earlobe?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
8. Why does an opaque object cast a dark shadow when placed in front of a torch: light travels in straight lines and cannot pass through the opaque object, or the object absorbs darkness?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
9. What is the imaginary line drawn at 90° (perpendicular) to a mirror surface at the point where a light ray strikes called: the normal or the tangent?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
10. What type of lens is thicker in the middle than at the edges and brings parallel light rays together to a focal point: a convex (converging) lens or a concave lens?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
11. Why does a red apple appear red in white daylight: it reflects red light and absorbs other colours, or it absorbs only red light?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r
12. At what time of day are outdoor shadows cast by the Sun shortest: around midday (noon) when the Sun is highest in the sky, or at sunrise?
Light Ray (Straight Line) · Angle i = Angle r

12 questions · Seed 61 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9

Light, reflection & shadows

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. According to the law of reflection on a flat plane mirror, how does the angle of reflection compare to the angle of incidence: they are equal, or the angle of reflection is twice as large?
They are equal
The angle of incidence always equals the angle of reflection (measured from the normal).
2. What astronomical event occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth: a solar eclipse or a lunar eclipse?
Solar eclipse
During a solar eclipse, the Moon blocks sunlight from reaching part of Earth.
3. Does light require a material medium (like air) to travel, or can it travel through the vacuum of space?
It can travel through the vacuum of space
Light is an electromagnetic wave and travels through vacuum at about 300,000 km/s.
4. Why do people often wear light-coloured or white clothing in hot sunny weather: white surfaces reflect most sunlight and stay cooler, or white absorbs all heat?
White surfaces reflect most sunlight and stay cooler
White and shiny surfaces reflect most incident radiation, whereas matt black surfaces absorb it.
5. What optical instrument uses two mirrors angled at 45° inside a tube to let an observer see over obstacles: a periscope or a stethoscope?
Periscope
A periscope reflects light twice through 90° using two parallel 45° mirrors.
6. How does light travel through a uniform medium such as air or vacuum: in straight lines, or in curved loops?
In straight lines
Light rays travel in straight lines in a uniform medium.
7. Which light-sensitive layer at the back of the human eye detects focused light and sends signals to the brain via the optic nerve: the retina or the earlobe?
Retina
Photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) in the retina convert light into nerve impulses.
8. Why does an opaque object cast a dark shadow when placed in front of a torch: light travels in straight lines and cannot pass through the opaque object, or the object absorbs darkness?
Light travels in straight lines and cannot pass through the opaque object
An opaque object blocks straight light rays, leaving a shaded region behind it.
9. What is the imaginary line drawn at 90° (perpendicular) to a mirror surface at the point where a light ray strikes called: the normal or the tangent?
The normal
Angles of incidence and reflection are always measured relative to the normal (90° to the surface).
10. What type of lens is thicker in the middle than at the edges and brings parallel light rays together to a focal point: a convex (converging) lens or a concave lens?
Convex (converging) lens
A convex lens converges parallel rays to a focus and is used in magnifying glasses.
11. Why does a red apple appear red in white daylight: it reflects red light and absorbs other colours, or it absorbs only red light?
It reflects red light and absorbs other colours
Pigments in the apple skin reflect red wavelengths to our eyes and absorb the rest of the spectrum.
12. At what time of day are outdoor shadows cast by the Sun shortest: around midday (noon) when the Sun is highest in the sky, or at sunrise?
Around midday (noon) when the Sun is highest in the sky
When the Sun is high overhead, rays strike steeply and cast short shadows.

12 questions · Seed 61 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification