Interactions of light
Light interacts with a surface in many different ways.
REFLECTION: When light bounces off a surface it is called reflection, the two different kinds of reflection are specular and diffuse. Specular reflection is the kind of reflection that occurs on a mirror, all of the light rays are reflected into your eyes. On the other hand diffuse reflection scatters the light beams sending them in all different directions. Diffuse reflection is the reason why you cannot see your reflection on a wall. The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence must always be the same as the angle of reflection.
REFRACTION: Refraction is the bending of a wave as it enters a new substance at an angle. The amount a wave is refracted depends on its wavelength.
ABSORPTION: Absorption happens when light rays are transferred to particles of matter. When a color of light is absorbed we no longer can see it.
DIFFRACTION: When a wave is diffracted its direction is changed after running into a small barrier or opening. When a wave's wavelength is larger than the opening or barrier than it diffracts. The edges of your shadows have blurry edges because of diffraction.
INTERFERENCE: Interference happens when two or more waves overlap, combining to make one new wave. There are two different kinds of interference: destructive and constructive. Destructive interference occurs when the crests of one wave and the troughs of another overlap. This will result in a new wave with a lower amplitude, however the opposite occurs with constructive interference. This would happen if the crests of two or more different waves overlap forming a new wave with a greater amplitude.
SCATTERING: When light waves are redirected because of collisions with particles of matter, for example this is why the sky is blue.
REFLECTION: When light bounces off a surface it is called reflection, the two different kinds of reflection are specular and diffuse. Specular reflection is the kind of reflection that occurs on a mirror, all of the light rays are reflected into your eyes. On the other hand diffuse reflection scatters the light beams sending them in all different directions. Diffuse reflection is the reason why you cannot see your reflection on a wall. The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence must always be the same as the angle of reflection.
REFRACTION: Refraction is the bending of a wave as it enters a new substance at an angle. The amount a wave is refracted depends on its wavelength.
ABSORPTION: Absorption happens when light rays are transferred to particles of matter. When a color of light is absorbed we no longer can see it.
DIFFRACTION: When a wave is diffracted its direction is changed after running into a small barrier or opening. When a wave's wavelength is larger than the opening or barrier than it diffracts. The edges of your shadows have blurry edges because of diffraction.
INTERFERENCE: Interference happens when two or more waves overlap, combining to make one new wave. There are two different kinds of interference: destructive and constructive. Destructive interference occurs when the crests of one wave and the troughs of another overlap. This will result in a new wave with a lower amplitude, however the opposite occurs with constructive interference. This would happen if the crests of two or more different waves overlap forming a new wave with a greater amplitude.
SCATTERING: When light waves are redirected because of collisions with particles of matter, for example this is why the sky is blue.
WHy is the sky blue?
The sky is blue because of scattering, one of the many interactions of light. Since the sun gives off white light, which is really just the make-up of all the colors of light, all colors must pass through the atmosphere. Because of certain gasses in the atmosphere such as nitrogen and oxygen the blue light is scattered more than the others. All the other colors are passed through the atmosphere however most of the blue light is scattered into the air.
The sun and the moon
Although the moon seems to be giving off light, it is not. The moon is merely illuminated, which means it is lit up by something luminous. For example the sun is luminous, yet the moon is illuminated from the light emitted from the sun.
Visual aid
Activities
Here are some links to helpful sites, videos and activities to help push your comprehension of light interactions