Science Grade 8

W3 - Lesson 1: Transmission and

Absorption of Light
V5-07
 Important Concepts of Grade 8 Science Materials
Required
W1 - Lesson 1 ...................................................................... Mass, Volume, and Density
W1 - Lesson 2 ............................................................. Solubility and Saturation Points
Textbook:
W1 - Lesson 3A ...................................................... Viscosity, Flow Rate, and Buoyancy
Science in
W1 - Lesson 3B .................................................................................... Simple Machines
Action 8
W1 - Lesson 4 .................Gears, Mechanical Advantage, Speed Ratios, and Efficiency
W1 - Lesson 5 .....................................................................Hydraulics and Pneumatics
W1- Quiz
W2 - Lesson 1 ....The Role of Cells within Living Things, Cells-Tissue-Organ System
W2 - Lesson 2 ......................................................................................... The Microscope
W2 - Lesson 3 ................................................................................ Body Systems Part 1
W2 - Lesson 4 ................................................................................ Body Systems Part 2
W2 - Lesson 5 ................................................ Problems Associated with Body Systems
W2 - Quiz
W3 - Lesson 1 ....................................................Transmission and Absorption of Light
W3 - Lesson 2 .......................................................... Reflection and Refraction of Light
W3 - Lesson 3A ...................................................................................Vision and Lenses
W3 - Lesson 3B .. Water in its Various States Affects Earth’s Landforms and Climate
W3 - Lesson 4 ........................................................ Adaptations to Aquatic Ecosystems
W3 - Lesson 5 ........................................................................................... Water Quality
W3 - Quiz ..........................................................................................................................

Science Grade 8
Version 5
Preview/Review W3 - Lesson 1

Publisher: Alberta Distance Learning Centre

Author: Kevin De Clerq
In-House Teachers: Barb Philips and Norene Pinder

Project Coordinator: Dennis McCarthy

Preview/Review Publishing Coordinating Team: Nina Johnson,
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Preview/Review Concepts
for
Grade Eight Science

W3 - Lesson 1:
Transmission and Absorption
of Light
 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, you should

• name and define the different types of matter related to light transmission

• describe how colours are produced and why different materials have
different colours

• name and describe various forms of artificial light

• name some natural sources of light

GLOSSARY

absorption - taking something in transmission - movement of light

and keeping it there waves through something

bioluminescence - light produced wavelength - the distance

by living organisms between the tops of two
waves
reflect - to bounce off
Preview/Review Concepts W3 - Lesson 1 Science Grade 8

W3 - Lesson 1: Transmission and Absorption of Light

Welcome to W3 - Lesson 1. This lesson is designed to teach you
how light absorption and light transmission affect the way we
see objects. It should take about 1.5 hours to complete; there will be
a small homework assignment at the end.

Transmission and Absorption of Light

When light leaves a source of energy, its transmission is

determined by properties of the matter it encounters. Matter can
be transparent, translucent, or opaque.

• Transparent materials allow the light to pass through; an ex-

ample is a clear glass of water.

• Translucent materials like sunglasses or frosted glass allow

only a portion of the light to pass through.

• Opaque materials such as wood or metal do not allow light to

pass through.

To summarize, light can pass through objects that are transparent

or translucent, but not through objects that are opaque. Light
travels in all directions from its source unless blocked.

Developed by Alberta Distance Learning Centre .......................................................................................................... 1

Science Grade 8 Preview/Review Concepts W3 - Lesson 1

Activity 1

Read and understand pages 213 to 215 in Science in Action 8. Then,

answer the following questions.

1. Light energy travels in what form?

___________________________________________________________

2. When two rainbows form, does the formation of the colors ap-
pear exactly the same? Explain your answer.

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

3. Draw a diagram to explain what happens to white light as it

passes through a prism.

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Preview/Review Concepts W3 - Lesson 1 Science Grade 8

Absorption of Light

Light travels as waves of energy. Colours are a product of light.

Each colour is produced by a specific wavelength of light.

Read pages 213 to 215 in Science in Action 8.

If we see a colour, the wavelengths that make them are reflected

from the material you are looking at. All other wavelengths
(colours), are absorbed by it.

If you see the colour of pink on a sweater, the sweater is absorbing

all the colours of the spectrum except the colour of pink; pink is
the only colour that the sweater reflects. If you see the colour of
black, such as a black garbage bag, all the colours of the visible light
spectrum are absorbed and none are reflected.

Darker colours tend to collect heat in the sun because they absorb
most of the visible light. A dark or black-coloured car on a sunny
summer day will absorb sunlight and become very warm. This is
why it is not a good idea to wear dark coloured clothing on a hot
summer day — you will get very warm.

White objects reflect light; they will stay relatively cool and will
not be heated by the sun. If you have ever gone skiing in the
wintertime, you will know that it is possible to get sunburned
because the white snow reflects sunlight onto your face.

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Science Grade 8 Preview/Review Concepts W3 - Lesson 1

Activity 2

Read and understand pages 216 to 217 in Science in Action 8. Then,

answer the following questions.

1. What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

3. Name two types of electromagnetic radiation other than light.

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

3. If you had a red shirt, what colour(s) of the visible light spec-
trum would it be reflecting and what colour(s) would it be ab-
sorbing?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

4. Why do black-coloured objects heat up when they sit outside in

the sun?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

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Preview/Review Concepts W3 - Lesson 1 Science Grade 8

5. If you expose a white-coloured object to the sun it would stay

cooler than a black object. What is the reason for this?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Transmission of Light

Light that is transmitted can be produced artificially. Three kinds

of artificial light are used in our daily lives.

1. The first is incandescent. Inside a glass bulb is a thin wire

filament through which electricity passes. This causes the wire
to heat to a high temperature, and it gives a white-hot glow.

2. The second is fluorescent. When electricity flows through

the fluorescent tube, it causes the mercury vapor to give off
ultraviolet light. The tube is coated with a special white powder
called phosphor. Phosphor converts ultra violet light into
visible light.

3. The third is called phosphorescent light. When ultraviolet

light hits phosphorescent materials, the materials store the
energy and will glow in the dark until all the energy is released.
A good example of phosphorescent light is the light given off by
glow-in-the-dark toys.

The most important natural light source is the sun. Another form
of natural light is bioluminescence where an organism, such as a
firefly or a glow worm, is able to produce its own light .

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Science Grade 8 Preview/Review Concepts W3 - Lesson 1

Activity 3

Read and understand pages 222, 223, and 225 in Science in Action
8. Then, answer the following questions.

1. The textbook discusses light sources. Give an example of three

natural light sources and three artificial light sources.

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

2. What is a photophore and how does it produce light?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

3. Give one reason people are switching from incandescent lights to

fluorescent lights in their home.

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

You should now be able to meet all the objectives listed at

the beginning of the lesson. Go through the list to see if
there is anything you need to spend more time on.

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Preview/Review Concepts W3 - Lesson 1 Science Grade 8

Extended Activity (Homework)

Make a collage of light sources using pictures from the Internet, old
catalogues, or magazines. Glue these pictures on a regular sheet of
paper or cardboard (8.5 x 11 inch). Your collage must have a title
such as Light Sources or Environmentally Friendly Light Sources, or
a title of your choice.) These pictures could include sources related
to the visible and invisible light spectrum.

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