Light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that behaves as both a particle and wave. It comes in packets called photons that act like particles. As a wave, light has frequencies and wavelengths. The frequency is the number of times the wave passes a fixed point per unit of time, and higher frequencies correspond to shorter wavelengths. Different frequencies and wavelengths of light carry different amounts of energy. The electromagnetic spectrum classifies light based on its energy, with some types like ultraviolet and infrared having wavelengths just outside the visible light range that the human eye can see. Visible light corresponds to wavelengths from 400-700 nanometers and is experienced as the colors violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red from shortest to longest wavelength.

1. LIGHT

2. Objective
Explain light waves and particles
Inquiry Questions: How does light combine to
form colours?

3. What is light?
Light is a type of energy called electromagnetic
radiation.
It behaves as both a particle and wave

5. Light Particles
Light comes in packets called photons
These act like particles

6. Waves and light
Light is a type of wave called electromagnetic; it has
frequencies and wavelengths.

7. Wave frequency - recap
Is the number of times
that it passes a fixed
point per unit of time.
We count the number of
crests that pass one
fixed point per time.
The higher this number,
the higher the
frequency
Higher frequency light
has shorter
wavelengths.

8. Light and Energy
Light is a type of energy (electromagnetic energy)
The amount of energy depends on the
frequency and wavelength of light.
The higher the frequency and shorter
the wavelength the more energy

9. Which of these waves has the
Highest frequency?
Which has the most energy?

10. Electromagnetic spectrum
Scientists classify light by the amount of energy it has into
the electromagnetic spectrum

11. What kind of electromagnetic radiation has
the most energy?

12. Which side of the visible spectrum (which colour) has
the most energy and which the least energy?
How can you tell?

13. The human eye is not capable of "seeing" radiation
with wavelengths outside the visible spectrum.
Ultraviolet radiation has a shorter wavelength than
the visible violet light. Infrared radiation has a
longer wavelength than visible red light.

14. Color and light
Wavelength, Frequency, and Energy
Predict the energy for each color from 1 - 7

15. Our eyes are sensitive to light which lies in a very small
region of the electromagnetic spectrum called "visible
light".
Visible light corresponds to a wavelength range of 400 -
700 nanometers (nm)
The visible colours from shortest to longest wavelength
are: violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.

16. White and black
The white light
is a mixture of
the colours of
the visible
spectrum.
Black is a total
absence of light.

17. Colour Simulation
Please note that in art, the primary colors are
yellow, blue and red BUT for scientists, the primary
colors are RED, BLUE and GREEN.
Physics Simulation: RGB Color Addition
Worksheet for simulation