Name: ______________________
Science Test – Light KEY
For questions #1-12, circle the the letter for the correct answer.
(1 point. each)
1. Frosted glass is an example of a(n) _________ object because only
some light passes through it.
a. electromagnetic
b. opaque
c. translucent
d. transverse
2. Which two things are necessary for a rainbow to form in nature?
a. raindrops and clouds
b. raindrops and prisms
c. sunlight and mirrors
d. sunlight and raindrops
3. Which of the following is true of both reflection and refraction?
a. the density of material affects the light wave’s path
b. the light wave bounces back at a predictable angle
c. the light wave changes its direction
d. the speed of the light wave does not change
4. By passing white light through a prism, you can tell:
a. that blue light is brighter than white light
b. that light is a form of energy
c. that light is faster than sound
d. that white light is made up of different colors
5. When light hits an object, the rays can pass through it, bounce off it, or
be absorbed by it. Light rays that bounce back are:
a. radar
b. radiant
c. reflected
d. refracted
6. You are standing in your kitchen looking out the window. At what time of
day are you most likely to see your reflection in the window?
a.
b.
c.
d.
9:00 in the morning
2:00 in the afternoon
10:00 at night
A window cannot show your reflection
7. You are sitting in a boat and see a fish swim by. You quickly reach your
hand into the water to grab the fish, but come up emtpy-handed. Which
reason best explains why you could not catch the fish?
a. Water is transparent
b. Water is denser than air
c. Water reflects light
d. Water refracts light
8. Most glass allows all light to pass through, so most glass is:
a. opaque
b. translucent
c. transparent
d. transverse
9. When a rainbow is formed, rain droplets act like:
a. mirrors
b. prisms
c. mirrors AND prisms
d. opaque material
10. You are getting dressed on a hot day. Which color shirt will help you
stay cool? (Hint: Which colors absorb light? Which colors reflect light?)
a. black
b. gray
c. tan
d. white
Use the picture below to answer questions #11 and #12.
11. Which of the above waves has the longest wavelength?
a. Wave #1
b. Wave #2
c. Wave #3
d. Wave #4
12. Which of the above waves best represents the color red?
a. Wave #1
b. Wave #2
c. Wave #3
d. Wave #4
For questions #13-16, fill in the blanks with the correct answers.
(1 point each.)
13. A material that does not let any light pass through and makes the best
shadow is called a(n) ___opaque____ material.
14. An object that can separate the colors in white light by refracting them
is called a(n) ___prism____. (raindrop or water droplet also acceptable).
15. Each different color of light has a different _wavelength (or frequency)
16. When light hits a lemon, what color is reflected? ___yellow____
For questions #17-21, write True or False in the blank spaces.
(1 point each)
17. False A wavelength is measured from the crest to the trough of a wave.
18. False Brown represents a wavelength that we see in the visible
spectrum.
19. True Tom is watering his flowers with a hose on a sunny day. It is
possible for a rainbow to form in this situation.
20. True The visible spectrum is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
21. False When light hits a transparent material, it casts a shadow.
For questions #22-27, match the materials in the left column with the
best description in the right column. Descriptions can be used more
than once. (½ point each).
22.
____A___ Cardboard
A. Opaque
23.
____C___ Clear glass
B. Translucent
24.
____C___ Plastic wrap
C. Transparent
25.
____B___ Tissue paper
26.
____B___ Wax paper
27.
____A___ Wood
28. List the colors of the visible spectrum in order from longest to shortest
wavelength. (1 point for all 7)
1. ________Red________
2. _______Orange_______
3. _______Yellow_______
4. _______Green________
5. _______Blue_________
6. _______Indigo_______
7. ________Violet_______
29. Draw a transverse wave below. Label the crest, trough, and
wavelength (3 points)
Scoring Checklist (1 point each)
____Trough correctly labeled
____Crest correctly labeled
____Wavelength correctly labeled
30. In the picture below, a stream of white light enters a prism. A rainbow
shows up on the wall. In one paragraph, explain how/why the rainbow
formed. Use the specific vocabulary we have discussed in class. (5 pts.)
white light
prism
wall
Exemplar Response:
White light contains all the different colors of the visible spectrum. When the stream of
light enters the prism, it gets refracted. Because each color in the light has a different
wavelength, each color gets refracted by a different amount and the light waves
disperse.
Scoring Rubric Checklist: 1 pt. each
Points
Criteria
______
White light contains all colors
______
Light gets refracted (½ point for “bent”, “slanted”, etc. “Curved”,
“arched”, etc. are NOT acceptable answers.)
______
Each color has a different wavelength
______
Colors get refracted/bent/slanted by a different amount (“Curved”,
“arched”, etc. will also be accepted here)
______
Waves disperse (½ point for “scatter”, “separate”, “break/spread
apart”, diffuse”, “split up”, etc.)
Total: ______