The Earth / Moon / Sun System

NC Standard:  3.01

Activity:  Reflect and Absorb

Question: Does color or surface make a difference in how light reacts?

Vocabulary: reflection, absorption

Background: Light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object and is reflected and / or absorbed. Darker colors absorb light while lighter colors reflect more light.

Materials: laser pointer, small mirror, squares of construction paper - black, white, blue, yellow

Procedure: 

• 1. Put paper squares of different colors and mirror on a wall or bulletin board.

• 2. Darken the room.

• 3. Shine the laser pointer on each colored paper.

• 4. Ask students what they observed.
  Observations should include:
  The laser point will be brightest shining on the white paper.
  The laser point is dimmest shining on the black paper.

• 5. Ask the students what happened to the light and introduce the words absorption and reflection.

• 6. Darken the room and shine the laser pointer at an angle at the mirror.

• 7. Ask students what happened and why. Talk about reflection.
  

Conclusion: Light travels in a straight line until it is reflected or absorbed.
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Line of Learning:  This line is drawn to provide students with a space to share their experimental learning in words or pictures.
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