6/15/24, 9:03 AM Refraction of Light | CK-12 Foundation
Stuck on your homework? Ask What do you need help with?
Flexi 2.0!
What do you want to l… Subjects Explore Donate Sign In Sign Up
AI Tutor My Tasks Feed
Hello! My name is Flexi and I am here to be a
guide on your learning journey!
Curious about Flexi but
1.8 Refraction of Light
don't know where to start? FlexBooks 2.0 > CK-12 Fourth Grade Science > Refraction of Light
Watch our Flexi 2.0
Written by: Jean Brainard, Ph.D.
overview
Fact-checked by: The CK-12 Editorial Team
Last Modified: Apr 18, 2024
Note: This chat box and its content is not monitored,
except for ensuring functionality. Please do not enter or
share your personal information or any other informa- Lesson Objectives
tion that may be sensitive or private to you. While Flexi
is always learning, its AI-generated response may oc-
casionally be inaccurate and here is why. Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object or
travels from one medium to another.
Demonstrate that light can be reflected, refracted, and absorbed.
Lesson Vocabulary
light - a form of energy that travels in waves and can move through empty
space where there is no air
transmit - pass through
reflection - bouncing back of light from a surface
refraction - bending of light
absorb - light is taken in
Is this a magic trick? Is this straw really broken? The answer to both questions is no.
There’s nothing wrong with the straw. No magic is involved, only science. This is an
example of how light behaves. What you are seeing is how light reacts when it
enters a new substance.
Speed of Light and Matter (Advanced Topic)
You have probably heard of the famous equation E = mc2. The "E" represent the
amount of energy. The "m" represents mass. The "c" represent the speed of light.
Writing a "c" is much easier than writing the actual speed of light. The speed of light
is a really large number.
The speed of light is about 300 million meters per second. That's really, really fast.
Try asking Light always travels at the same speed through space. In outer space, there is not
any matter to get in its way. Think about riding your bicycle. When you ride on a
What are alternate angles?
hard surface, it is easy to pedal. You can go really fast. Imagine how your speed
would change if you were riding through deep sand. You would find it hard to
Teach me about DNA
pedal. You would not be able to go as fast. The same is true for light. When there is
no matter around, like in outer space, it can go fast. When matter gets in its way, it
Explain infinity using video games
slows down.
Spatial Computing vs. VR
Light travels through some matter faster than through others. Table below gives the
speed of light in six common materials.
4(2x+1)=3(x-2)
Material Speed of Light (m/s)
What do you need help with? Air 299 million meters per second
https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-fourth-grade-science/section/1.8/primary/lesson/refraction-of-light-scigr4/ 1/4
6/15/24, 9:03 AM Refraction of Light | CK-12 Foundation
Material Speed of Light (m/s)
Water 231 million meters per second
Glass 200 million meters per second
Vegetable oil 150 million meters per second
Alcohol 140 million meters per second
Diamond 125 million meters per second
Hello! My name is Flexi and I am here to be a No matter how slow light travels, it still goes really, really fast. The important thing
guide on your learning journey! to remember is that it does travel. It is hard for us to imagine light taking time to
Curious about Flexi but cover a distance.
don't know where to start?
Think about when you enter your science classroom. You step through the door.
You tell your teacher, "Hello." You walk to your desk and sit down. It may take
around 10 to 20 seconds to walk this distance. Imagine now your teacher turns the
Note: This chat box and its content is not monitored,
except for ensuring functionality. Please do not enter or light off. She carries a small lamp over to the door you just entered. She asks you
share your personal information or any other informa-
tion that may be sensitive or private to you. While Flexi
to watch carefully as she switches on the light. She flips the switch and you
is always learning, its AI-generated response may oc- immediately see the light. The light just covered the same distance you just walked.
casionally be inaccurate and here is why.
That's how fast light is. For us, it is hard to imagine that it moves.
Now let's think about light traveling between the Sun and Earth. The Sun is 93
million miles away. What if we were able to turn off the Sun for just a second? How
long would it take us to notice? Would we notice instantly like in the classroom?
Remember, the Sun is a long way away.
We wouldn't notice the change for a little over 8 minutes. That is because the Sun
is a long way away. Even when moving as fast as light, it takes time to travel from
the Sun to Earth. What do you think happens when it hits the air in our
atmosphere? Air is made up of matter. When light travels through matter it slows
down. How do scientists know it slows down? What evidence do scientists have?
When sunlight hits Earth's atmosphere it bends just a little. If sunlight goes through
water droplets it bends even more. The bending of light through droplets of water
is why we can see rainbows. It also explains why the straw in a glass of water
appears to be broken.
Bending Light
When light passes from one medium (or type of matter) to another, it changes
speed. You can actually see this happen. If light strikes a new substance at an
angle, the light appears to bend. This is what explains the straw looking broken in
the picture above.
Try asking
So, does light always bend as it travels into a new medium? If light travels straight
into a new substance it is not bent. You may know this angle as perpendicular. The
light still slows down, just does not appear to bend. Any angle other than
perpendicular the light will bend as it slows down. The bending of light is called
refraction. Figure below shows how refraction occurs. Notice that the angle of light
changes again as it passes from the glass back to the air. In this case, the speed
increases, and the ray of light resumes its initial direction.
For a more detailed explanation of refraction, watch this video:
https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-fourth-grade-science/section/1.8/primary/lesson/refraction-of-light-scigr4/ 2/4
6/15/24, 9:03 AM Refraction of Light | CK-12 Foundation
Refraction
Hello! My name is Flexi and I am here to be a
guide on your learning journey!
Curious about Flexi but
don't know where to start?
Note: This chat box and its content is not monitored,
except for ensuring functionality. Please do not enter or
share your personal information or any other informa-
tion that may be sensitive or private to you. While Flexi
is always learning, its AI-generated response may oc-
casionally be inaccurate and here is why.
[Figure 1]
Lesson Summary
Light always travels at the same speed through empty space. The speed of
light is about 300 million meters per second. When light travels through
matter, it travels more slowly.
If light passes from one type of matter to another at an angle, the light
changes speed and bends. This bending of light is called refraction.
The amount at which light refracts depends on the type of matter it enters.
Lesson Review Questions
1. What is the refraction of light? When and why does it occur?
2. Draw a diagram to show how visible light refracts when it passes from air to
diamond.
Image Attributions
Try asking
https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-fourth-grade-science/section/1.8/primary/lesson/refraction-of-light-scigr4/ 3/4
6/15/24, 9:03 AM Refraction of Light | CK-12 Foundation
ABOUT SUPPORT By CK-12
How do I translate this page?
Our Mission Status Certified Educator Program Common Core Math
Meet the Team Security Webinars College FlexBooks
Partners Blog CK-12 Resources K-12 FlexBooks
Press CK-12 Usage Certified Trainer Tools and Apps
Map
Hello! My name is Flexi and I am here
Careers to be a
Help
guide on your learning journey!
Testimonials
Curious about Flexi but Us
Contact
don't know where to start?
v2.10.21.20240611072540-9de54f2118 | © CK-12 Foundation 2024 Terms of Use | Privacy | Attribution Guide |
FlexBook Platform®, FlexBook®, FlexLet® and FlexCard™ are registered trademarks of CK-12 Foundation.
Note: This chat box and its content is not monitored,
except for ensuring functionality. Please do not enter or
share your personal information or any other informa-
tion that may be sensitive or private to you. While Flexi
is always learning, its AI-generated response may oc-
casionally be inaccurate and here is why.
Try asking
https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-fourth-grade-science/section/1.8/primary/lesson/refraction-of-light-scigr4/ 4/4
