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Activity 3.1: Investigating Light and Different Materials
and Investigating Reflection in Different Mirrors
Name: _________________
Part A
Purpose: to investigate how various objects reflect, transmit, or absorb light.
Materials:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
wax paper
plastic wrap
foil
thick black paper or a book
tape
light source (e.g. flashlight)
Procedure:
1. Gather the materials for the investigation.
2. Cut the wax paper, plastic wrap, and foil to the size of an 8½ X 11 sheet of
paper.
3. Tape the wax paper to the edge of a chair. The paper should hang down in front
of the chair.
4. Move the chair close to a wall. Ensure that the side with the paper is facing
towards you.
5. Turn off all of the lights so that the room is dark.
6. Turn on the flashlight and direct it towards the wax paper. The flashlight should
be approximately 20 cm away from the wax paper.
7. Record your observations in the data table.
8. Repeat procedure numbers 3 to 7 for the following materials; plastic wrap, foil,
and book.
9. Clean up and put away your materials.
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Observations
Material
wax paper
plastic wrap
foil
book
Description (amount of
light that goes through
the material, degree of
brightness on both
sides of the material)
Ray diagram (draw the equipment
and use arrows to indicate the
direction of the light rays)
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2. Classify each of the materials used in this investigation as opaque, transparent, or
translucent.
Part B
Purpose: to investigate the laws of reflection and the characteristics of images in plane,
concave, and convex mirrors.
Materials:
1.
2.
3.
4.
light source (e.g. flashlight)
plane mirror
concave mirror
convex mirror
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Gather the materials for the investigation.
Place the light source at the appropriate position in front of the mirror.
Fill in your observations.
Repeat for the different mirrors/positions.
Observations:
Plane Mirror
1. State the “Laws of Reflection”.
2. Describe the image formed in the plane mirror.
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Concave Mirror
Object
Location
Image
Location
Orientation
(upright or
Inverted)
Size
(smaller,
same size or
larger than
object)
Type
(real or
virtual)
Image
Location
Orientation
(upright or
inverted)
Size
(smaller, same
size or larger
than object)
Type
(real or
virtual)
Beyond C
At C
Between C
and F
At F
Between F
and the
mirror
Convex Mirror
Object
Location
In front of
mirror
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Analysis
Part A
1. Describe the difference in the way the light is affected when it hits a transparent
object compared to an opaque object.
2. What type of material is at the light end of the flashlight? Explain why this
material is used here.
3. What type of material is along the sides of the flashlight? Explain why this
material is used here.
4. How would the light be affected if the paper/book had a white surface compared
to a black surface?
5. What evidence shows that light travels in straight lines?
6. Give two more examples of the following types of materials:
a. transparent
b. translucent
c. opaque
Analysis
Part B
1. Describe the problems that occur when reading written messages in a plane
mirror.
2. List three uses of plane mirrors.
3. List two practical uses of concave mirrors.
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4. Create a ray diagram using a concave mirror with the object at the centre of
curvature (C). Include labels in your diagram.
5. How does the image of the convex mirror compare to the image formed from a
plane mirror?
6. What are two uses of convex mirrors?
7. Create a ray diagram with an object placed in front of a convex mirror. Include
labels in your diagram.
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Investigating light (Rubric)
Name: ____________________________
Rating
Categories
Analyzing and
Interpreting
Data
Communication
of Ideas and
Information
Use of scientific
terminology,
symbols, and
conventions
Exceptional
(Level 4)
Proficient
(Level 3)
Satisfactory
(Level 2)
Limited
(Level 1)
Poor
(Level R)
Provides rich
analysis of the
data
Provides
sufficient analysis
of the data
Provides some
analysis of the
data
Provides limited
analysis of the
data
Fails to provide
analysis of the
data.
Draws insightful
conclusions based
on the data
Draws valid
conclusions based
on the data
Demonstrates
some ability to
draw conclusions
based on the data
Demonstrates
limited ability to
draw conclusions
based on the data
Fails to provide
any conclusions
based on the data.
Communicates
information and
ideas clearly and
precisely
Communicates
information and
ideas with
substantial clarity
and precision
Communicates
information and
ideas with some
clarity and
precision
Communicates
information and
ideas with limited
clarity and
precision
Fails to
communicate
ideas and
information.
Uses scientific
terminology,
symbols, and
conventions with
few if any errors
Uses scientific
terminology,
symbols, and
conventions with
substantial
accuracy
Uses scientific
terminology,
symbols, and
conventions with
some accuracy
Uses scientific
terminology,
symbols, and
conventions with
limited accuracy
Fails to use
scientific
terminology,
symbols, and
conventions
Note:
Overall Rating:
 Student Excused: No Mark
 Unexcused Absence: rating 0
 Assignment not done or not submitted: rating 0