How shadows are formed
A shadow is a dark shape made when light is stopped or blocked by an object or a person.
Some objects are opaque such as stone, metal and wood. This means light doesn't travel through them. Light bounces back off the object. On the other side of the object a shadow is formed.
Watch: Shadows around the world
Watch how light and objects work together to create shadows.
Have a think about the different sizes of the shadows in the video.
- Why are some shadows bigger than others?
- Do any shadows change in size?
- Larger objects produce larger shadows. This is because they block a larger amount of light. If the light source is close to the shadow, this also leads to a larger shadow.
- Some shadows, like the palm trees, change in size. This is because the distance from the light sources changes.
Activity 1: Identifying the parts of a shadow
Activity 2: Shadows quiz
Activity 3: Shadow experiment
- Choose an object which will make a shadow.
- Move the object nearer or further away from a light source.
- Measure the length of the different shadows.
You could record your findings in a table like this.
| Object | Distance from light source | Length of shadow |
|---|---|---|
| tennis ball | 5cm | |
| 10cm | ||
| 15cm |
- Try it with a different object.
- What did you notice? Did you change the size of the shadow?
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