In this activity, students investigate specular and diffuse reflection by looking into a dark box and shining a torch at various objects, coloured paper and a mirror.
By the end of this activity, students should be able to:
- describe how objects can only be seen if there is a light source
- explain that diffuse reflection is when light reflects off a rough surface and travels in all different directions
- explain that specular reflection is when light reflects off a mirror or other shiny surface and that the angle of reflection is always the same as the angle of incidence
- describe how different coloured objects only reflect certain colours of light
- describe how different colours of reflected light can combine to produce new colours.
Download the Word file (see link below) for:
- introduction/background notes
- what you need
- what to do
- discussion questions
- student handout.
