Light and Color Vocabulary Terms

1. Light and ColorVocabulary Terms B19-Describe how light is absorbed, reflected, and refracted by different surfaces.

2. Light • Form of energy that travels in waves that the human eye sees as visible light. • Example: White Light (Roy-G-Biv) and Visible Light which reflects off of objects so we can see them. (colors)

3. Electromagnetic Waves • Vibrating electric and magnetic fields that move through space at the speed of light (300,000KM/per sec.) • Example: Light waves from the sun are electrical vibrations that have a magnetic field. They do not need a medium to travel.

4. Energy • The ability to cause change • Light rays can cause heat that moves molecules (ie. Heat makes ice melt!) • Light gives energy to our plants and helps the process of photosynthesis (we get to breathe in air!!)

5. Wave • Rhythmic pattern that carries energy • Light waves travel from the sun and reach earth

6. Light Rays • Narrow beam of light that travels in a straight line from a light source • Light rays coming from the sun

7. Light Reflection • Light that bounces back from a smooth, shiny surface • Example: Light hitting a mirror and then bouncing back

8. Reflect • The ability of an object to “bounce off” another object

9. Image • Created when light hits a smooth, shiny surface • Example: you can see an image of yourself when light is reflected off of a mirror

10. Absorption • Light that is taken in by an object • The colors of white light that we don’t see in an object get absorbed.

11. Refraction • The bending of light as it moves from one material to another • Explanation: • Light waves travel in straight lines • When light waves move from one kind of material to another, like from air to water, their speed changes • the change in speed causes the light rays to bend (this is the result of a change in direction) • . The bending of light is called refraction (ri frak shan) • Example: Pencil in the cup of water!

12. Mirage • The bending of light as it passes through air of different temperatures • Sometimes it looks like there is water on a road when actually its just a mirage or image of a blue sky caused by refracted light

13. Electromagnetic Spectrum • The complete range of electromagnetic waves placed in order of increasing frequency. • It is made up of radio waves, infrared rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays, X-rays, and gamma rays. definition ELECTROMAGNETIC Spectrum

14. pigment • Definition: Substances that are used to color materials! • Example: A shirt that has red pigment will reflect red when hit by white light!

15. Primary Colors of Pigment • Definition: • Cyan • Yellow • Magenta

16. Subtractive Color Mixing • Definition: A new color of pigment is produced as a result of the absorption of colors and the reflection of similar color groups. • Explanation: • Colors combine to form new colors because pigments do not actually absorb every color of light • The colors of pigment that are mixed have certain pigments in common; these colors get reflected! • We actually see the reflected color that both pigments have in common!! • Example: When cyan and yellow pigments are mixed, we see the color green because all the other colors but green get absorbed (subtracted) while the green color gets reflected!!.

17. Primary Colors of Light • Definition: • Green • Red • Blue

18. Additive Color Mixing • Definition: The mixing of various colored light making the light more intense and bringing the color of the mixture closer to white light (ROY-G-BIV) • Example: When we mix blue and yellow light beams, the colors get added thus moving the light closer to white. Therefore, the color of light is a soft white light.

19. Additive Color Mixing • Definition: Creating a new color by a process that adds one set of wavelengths to another set of wavelengths. • Example: When all the colors of white light are added, we see white light!

20. How do we see colors? • When white light hits an object the colors of white light (ROY-G-BIV) get reflected and absorbed! • The certain color of pigment that is in the object gets reflected and the remaining colors of white light get absorbed. • We see the color that gets reflected and the remaining colors that we don’t see get absorbed!! • Ie. Yellow light reflects off of a sweater that has yellow pigment so we see yellow. The other colors of light get absorbed.

21. Primary Colors • Definition: The colors that combine to make any other color. • Example: Green, Red, and Blue can be used to form other colors!

22. Secondary Colors • Definition: Two primary colors combine in equal amounts to produce a secondary color. • Example: Red and Blue mixed together make the secondary color called purple!

23. Complementary Colors • Definition: Any two colors that combine to form white light. • Example: Yellow and Blue combine to form white light!!

24. Transparent Material • Definition: A transparent material transmits most of the light that strikes it. • Example: Light going through glass or a clear substance!!

25. Translucent Materials • Definition: A material that scatters light that passes through. • Example: Wax paper! (only some of the light gets through)

26. Opaque Material • Definition: A material that absorbs or reflects all the light that strikes it! • Examples: • Wood • Metal • Cotton clothing