Name:_____________________	Date:____________	A	B	C

Exploring light, color, and the electromagnetic spectrum.

Please answer the questions in complete sentences!!!

1. First, a brief review. Draw and compare two wavelengths, one with a longer wavelength than the other. Make sure to note one wavelength on each wave, and compare the two.

Which has more energy? Why?

2. Reviewing reflection. http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/reflection/specular/index.html

Play around with the first interactive where you can change the color and roughness. What does changing the roughness of the surface do to the light that is reflected? When the surface has 0% roughness is the reflected angle the same as the incoming angle? As you answer these questions think back to the images of the two mountains and to the ponds that reflected their images. (You don’t have to read this whole page, just use the interactive and look at the images)

3. Reviewing refraction. Visit the site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/speed-light.html and do the activity. It asks which of these objects slows down light the most. What did you choose? Were you correct? Why does light slow down in different materials?

4. Touring the electromagnetic spectrum on your own:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/electromagnetic-spectrum.html

As you take your tour, please read the blurbs and write down the different types of electromagnetic radiation you come across. On each page, if you hold the mouse over the images there’s a description of the picture. Record two or three interesting facts that you come across on your tour. What do you notice as you move from radio waves to gamma rays? Does anything indicate that they have more energy as you move towards the right?

5. Watch the Brainpop video titled: electromagnetic spectrum and answer the following questions http://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/electromagneticspectrum/preview.weml

(Username: nhamptonbp Password: brainpop)

What is radiation? Why might photographs taken using infrared light be called “thermographs?”

6. More on color. Visit the site: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/light/u12l2a.cfm

and read through the page (start under “Visible light spectrum”) while answering the following questions. Why do different colors exist? Hint: what is different about every color? What is the difference between “black” and “white light”? What is white light? Check your understanding at the bottom of the page.

7. For a review, watch the Brainpop video “Color”:

http://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/color/preview.weml

What is Moby doing when the word “frequency” is on the screen? If I am wearing a yellow shirt, what color(s) are being absorbed here? What color(s) are being reflected?

8. Playing with different colors. Visit the site:

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/lightandcolor/primary.html

Play with the four different tutorials: primary additive colors, primary subtractive colors, color filters, and color separation. Color separation – observe what happens when you arrange the different colors on top of one another (they can be dragged). Primary colors – when using this tutorial, click “manual” when you’re there, and you can then drag the colors yourself. What is the difference between additive and subtractive colors that you notice?

9. Color – why is the sky blue? What makes a red sunset? Read the following website and find out:

http://www.weatherquestions.com/Why_are_sunsets_red.htm

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/opt/mch/sct.rxml

http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/misrsky/misr_sky.shtml

10. Watch the Brainpop video titled “The Eye” and answer the following questions.

http://www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/eyes/

Why do our pupils change size? What is the difference between rods and cones?

11. More on your eye. Check out the following website and do the activity:

http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/blindspot.html

Make sure you read the explanation! For homework observe your pupil changing size. Stand in front of your mirror in the bathroom and turn the lights off for about a minute. Keep looking in the mirror (shouldn’t be completely dark). Now, turn the lights on and observe the change in the size of your pupils as they adjust. Why does this happen?