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

Light, Shadows and Reflections Worksheet-2 Light, Shadows and Reflections Worksheet-2 Anjali placed a meter stick in the playground at 8.00 a.m. in the morning. How will the shadow of the stick at 12:00 noon be in comparison to the one at 8:00 a.m.?
A. There will be no shadow
B. The shadow will be longer and on the opposite side of the stick
C. The shadow will be shorter and on the same side as the sun
D. The shadow will be shorter and on the opposite side of the sun

Question 2

The image formed by a pinhole camera is upside-down because
A. Light travels in straight line
B. Light rays become laterally inverted as they pass through a pin hole camera
C. Light rays pass through the pin hole
D. Light rays get reflected.

Question 3

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 4

The fog is
A. Transparent
B. Translucent
C. Opaque
D. None of these

Question 5

Which one is natural source of light?
A. Tube light
B. Electric bulb
C. Sun
D. None of these