---
title: "Light & sound vocabulary"
description: "Name and use vocabulary for how light and sound behave: light source, transparent, translucent, opaque, shadow, reflect, vibration, pitch and volume. Use these terms correctly to describe observations"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/light-and-sound-vocabulary-mt_YPSx5pbpVl
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/light-and-sound-vocabulary-mt_YPSx5pbpVl.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Light & sound vocabulary

Name and use vocabulary for how light and sound behave: light source, transparent, translucent, opaque, shadow, reflect, vibration, pitch and volume. Use these terms correctly to describe observations of how light travels and how sounds are made and changed.

Subject: Science · Area: Waves, Light & Sound · Ages 6 to 8
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/light-and-sound-vocabulary-mt_YPSx5pbpVl

## Ready when they can

- Correctly classify a set of materials as transparent, translucent, or opaque and explain each term
- Explain what causes a shadow using the words 'opaque' and 'light source' correctly
- Describe what changes the pitch or volume of a sound using vibration vocabulary

## Lesson: Talking about light and sound

A light source makes light, like the sun or a lamp. A mirror reflects light: it bounces light back. An opaque material blocks light. A book or wooden door is opaque when no light passes through it. Translucent materials let light through but scatter it, giving a blurry view.

**Example.** Ben sees the yard clearly through window glass. The glass is transparent. Transparent materials let you see clearly through them. Calling clear window glass opaque would mix up transparent, which lets light through, with opaque, which blocks it.

*(drawing: Translucent materials let light through but scatter it. You may see blurry shapes through frosted glass or a thin shower curtain.)*

An opaque object blocks light from a light source and makes a shadow behind it. Without a light source, there is no light to block.

A vibration is a back-and-forth movement. Plucking a rubber band makes it vibrate and produce sound.

Volume means how loud or soft a sound is. On the same drum, harder hits make bigger vibrations and louder sounds. Softer hits make smaller vibrations and softer sounds.

Pitch means how high or low a sound is. Faster vibrations make higher pitch. Slower vibrations make lower pitch. These clues do not tell you the volume.

**Recap.** Transparent gives a clear view. Translucent scatters light. Opaque blocks light and can make shadows. Vibration speed affects pitch; vibration size affects volume.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Opens up

- [Light & seeing in the dark](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/light-and-seeing-in-the-dark-mt_4i-FKXDDXh)
- [Reflecting light](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/reflecting-light-mt_gLy3ZgZWiN)
- [Pitch of Sounds](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/pitch-of-sounds-mt_KTSoXcO7OL)
- [Transparent, Translucent & Opaque](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/transparent-translucent-and-opaque-mt_p6frRFuxS6)
- [Wave Behaviour Vocabulary](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/wave-behaviour-vocabulary-mt_SFOSbVnrJ8)
- [Vibrations & sound](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/vibrations-and-sound-mt_VBl1T1sFCM)
- [Sound travels through materials](https://lightmysky.com/learn/science/sound-travels-through-materials-mt_ydtcIBwHB9)