See-Through, Cloudy or Blocked
- Physics
- Ages 6–8 · Grades 1–2
- Hands-on experiment
What you’ll find out
- Transparent materials let light through, translucent ones let some through, and opaque ones block it.
- Opaque materials make dark shadows.
- A mirror bounces light in a new direction.
No sign-up and no real names. In the lesson you check your understanding as you read, run the experiment yourself, and practise until it sticks.
Clear, cloudy or blocked
Shine a torch at a clear glass window. The light goes right through, so the glass is see-through. Scientists call it transparent. Now shine it at wax paper. Only some light gets through, and things behind it look fuzzy. That is translucent. Cardboard lets no light through at all. It is opaque, and it makes a dark shadow.
Choosing the right material
We choose materials for the light they let through. Windows are transparent, so light comes in and we can see out. Bathroom windows are often translucent. Light gets in, but nobody can see in clearly. Thick curtains are opaque, so they keep a bedroom dark for sleeping. A mirror is opaque too, but it bounces light back instead of soaking it up.
Curriculum links: NGSS 1-PS4-3