Learn Class 6 Science - Light, Shadows and Reflections

Light is the energy that makes objects visible to naked eyes. Without light, we cannot see things. The objects that emit light are the sources of light.

Sources of light

These two sources of light

  • Natural sources of light
  • Artificial sources of light

Natural sources of light

Natural sources of light come from naturally present things like the sun, stars, and fireflies.

The sun is a vital light source that is 150 million kilometers away from the Earth. It allows us to see objects in the daytime.

Artificial sources of light

The light sources made by human beings are called artificial sources of light, and some examples are- torch, tube light, electric bulbs.

These light sources enable vision during the night.

Luminous objects

The objects that can give out light of their own are called luminous objects, and a few examples are the sun, tube light, burning candles.

These objects can be seen even at night because they have the light that is their own.

Non-luminous objects

The objects that cannot emit light are called non-luminous objects, and some examples are- a tree, book, moon.

The non-luminous objects cannot be visible in the darkness. The non-luminous things reflect light emitted by the luminous objects to make themselves visible.

Shadow

The shadows are formed when light falls on an object. The dark shade that forms behind an object is called a shadow.

The shadows result because light travels in a straight line.

The light passes through transparent objects, and they do not cause shadows. Translucent objects partially allow light to pass through, and thus weak shadows are cast. Opaque objects do not allow light to pass through them and therefore are the main objects that cause shadows.

Traits of a shadow

  • The shadows are dark in color.
  • They are erect images.
  • The shadow size can vary irrespective of the object's size.
  • They are real.

Reflection

When an object sends back the light that falls on it, it is called a reflection.

Different objects reflect different amounts of light. Polished surfaces reflect better than unpolished ones.

The narrow beam of light that is responsible for reflection to occur is called a ray. The incident ray is the beam of light before, and the reflected ray is the light beam after it takes place.

There are two types of reflection.

Regular reflection

Smooth and polished surfaces reflect light in the same direction. It is known as regular reflection.

Irregular reflection

The surfaces that are rough like paper reflect in all directions. These are called irregular reflections.

Light, Shadows and Reflections Sample Questions for Class 6

Question 1

Among the items mentioned below, we can observed a clear reflection of ours in
A. Smooth cushion surface
B. Still water surface
C. Wooden table
D. Polished shoe

Question 2

The essential condition for the formation of shadow is
A. There should be an opaque material
B. There should be a source of light and screen
C. The object must be placed in the path of light
D. All of these

Question 3

Which of the following statements is false?
A. Shadows cannot be formed when an object allows some light to pass through it
B. Shadows are always formed on the opposite side of the light source
C. A shadow has a similar shape to the object that forms the shadow
D. An object can form as many shadows as there are light sources around it

Question 4

Which objects use the Reflection of light?
A. Periscope
B. Mirror
C. Side mirror of a car
D. All of these

Question 5

Aamir looked up at the night sky and observed the things he could see. From the things he could see, he made a list of the sources of light in night sky. What should be write down on his list?  (i) Moon (ii) Stars (iii) Cloud
A. (i) only
B. (ii) only
C. (i) & (ii)
D. (ii) & (iii)