Why are shadows made? | Year 6 Science PDF Download

Light and Objects

Light travels in straight lines. When light encounters objects, it interacts with them in different ways based on their properties:

• Transparent Objects: These objects allow light to pass through them clearly, enabling us to see through them easily. Examples include clear glass and clean water.
• Translucent or Semi-Transparent Objects: These objects permit some light to pass through, but not enough for us to see through them clearly. Frosted glass and wax paper are examples of translucent objects.
• Opaque Objects: No light can pass through these objects, making them impossible to see through. Examples include wood, metal, and thick plastics.

How Shadows Are Formed

Shadows are created when an object blocks light. Here's how it happens:

• When light shines on an object, the object blocks some of the light, creating an area of darkness behind it known as a shadow.
• The shape and size of the shadow depend on the position of the light source and the object casting the shadow.

Shadows are the absence of light

• Shadows are essentially defined by what is missing—light. They represent areas where light is unable to reach due to an obstruction.
• These 'dark areas' are what we commonly refer to as shadows, created when light is blocked by an object.

Changing the size of shadows

Changing the position of the light source affects the size of the shadow cast by an object.

• When an object is closer to the light source, its shadow appears larger because it blocks more light.
• Conversely, when an object is farther from the light source, its shadow appears smaller because it blocks less light.
• If the light source is directly above the object, the shadow will be directly below it.
• When the light source is positioned to one side of the object, the shadow will appear on the opposite side, and it will be longer compared to when the light source is directly above.