All aspects of the path of light are included in a great summary. Internal reflection and the angles of paths in different materials are explained and the behavior of visible light through lenses and the effect on focal points are...

Message sending has come a long way since the days of Morse code's dots and dashes. Young scientists study the research of optical physicist Anthony Johnson and his work in fiber optics, lasers, and the principle of total internal...

Fifth graders analyze optical images. in this optical lesson, 5th graders look at how light reflects and refracts. They discuss different types of lenses and how they change the picture that is taken. 

Young geometers become pool sharks in this analysis of the angles and lengths of a trick shot. By using angles of incidence and reflection to develop similar triangles, learners plan the exact placement of balls to make the shot....

We see curved mirrors every day in spoons, rear-view mirrors, stores as a safety measure, make-up mirrors, and in novelty stores. Scholars explore the changes to an image based on the curve of the mirror, the location of the image, and...

In this optics worksheet, students read about refraction and reflection, lenses and mirrors, and objects and images. They answer 13 matching questions about light rays, light behavior and types of lenses. They also answer 9 questions...

Students investigate the refraction properties of gelatin to calculate its index of refraction. They discover that as the light travels through the gelatin, its speed and wavelength also change. Students find th indes of refraction of an...

Your kids probably use mirrors every day, but do they know how they work? A reading passage about reflection and reflective objects can address both physical science and reading comprehension. Kids read the paragraphs and use context...

Students investigate refraction and reflection of light. In this light lesson, students perform 3 activities to observe light interacting with matter by using a flashlight. They explore refraction using a glass of water and reflection...

Students compare and contrast electromagnetic and physical waves. In this wave instructional activity, students discover that all waves reflect, refract, and diffract energy. Students work in small groups to experiment with waves and...

In this light and optics learning exercise, students match the light and optics vocabulary with their definitions. Students match 21 words to their definitions.

Physics lab groups finagle with laser lights to determine the critical angle of refraction for both water and Lucite. Because there are no detailed steps or an answer key for this enlightening exercise, an inexperienced physics...

Give every type of learner in your physics class an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned throughout the year. From analyzing tables and graphs to evaluating diagrams and solving problems, there is an outstanding variety of...

Twelve pages of mostly multiple-choice questions comprise this comprehensive New York Regents physics exam. It covers an entire year's worth of physics curriculum and takes about 3 hours to complete. Review the questions to ensure they...

The University of Hawaii has published a vast collection of midterm and final exams for their Physics 152 course. This particular exam offers a variety of assessment methods, and covers the topic of electromagnetic radiation....

Students investigate the question, "how does understanding the properties and characteristics of light help us to enhance our quality of life?". They apply knowledge gained though the unit in order to create an optical device.

Students define and discus the concepts of wave fronts and rays. In groups, they distinguish between specular and diffuse reflections and use Snell's Law to predict the path of light rays. They calculate the speed of light through...

Explore the behavior of light waves with a lab activity. Scholars build new vocabulary through experimentation and observation. Using different mediums, they model reflection, refraction, transmission, diffusion, and scattering of light.

A two-part lesson asks young scientists to research the contributions of African American scientists at Bell Laboratories. After presenting their findings, class members watch two demonstrations that introduce them to total internal...

Students are able to describe what happens to light when it strikes different materials. They describe the law of reflection. Students are able to explain why a mirror froms a virtual image. They are able to describe diffuse reflection.

Young scholars experiment with mirrors. In this Mirrors and How They reflect instructional activity, students read how mirrors reflect light. Then young scholars perform over ten experiments and record their conclusions about mirrors and...

Students explore color, light, refraction and reflection.  In this light lesson students measure solar position and compare it to time.

Illuminated physics stars show what they know about light by taking this exam. They match several related vocabulary terms to descriptions and answer multiple choice questions about the characteristics of light, magnification, and...

Light is such a fascinating subject. This lesson plan does a great job of illuminating the mysteries of light for your young scientists. A series of demonstrations which are explained in the plan should help your charges to understand...