We all see shadows every day, but when was the last time you really looked at them? We can learn a lot about how light travels by investigating shadows.
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What you will need:
- A torch or flashlight
- A variety of different shaped objects
What you will do:
1 Make the room dark.
2 Choose one item to investigate and put it in the middle of the table.
3 Shine the light on it from different directions—the front, the side, the back, the top. How does the shadow change?
4 Now try different angles and distances. What happens when the light is shining down onto the object? Is it different to shining straight at it? What about if the light is further away?
5 Experiment with different objects and see what is the same and different about them. Think about where the light is going.
What is going on?
Light travels in a straight line unless something gets in it’s way. If an object is transparent, or see through, it is because light can travel through it. If an object is solid, light cannot travel through it so a shadow is formed where the light has been stopped.
The shape and size of a shadow is determined by the shape of the object and the distance and direction the light is travelling in. What patterns did you notice in your experiment?
Monster Challenges:
- Check your shadow at various times of the day. Can you spot a pattern in how it looks? Why do you think this is?
- Have a go at shadow puppets. There are lots of amazing shadow puppet performers in the world, some who use their hands to make shapes and others who use cardboard puppets. Research some of the different types of shadow puppets.
Full Teachers’ Notes are available with the experiment.
Get this experiment here or as part of a bundle of Light Experiments here.
