How we see objects · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

How we see objects

Science · Waves, Light & Sound · ages 9-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Some light from a lamp reaches your eye after hitting a closed paper book. What did that portion of light do at the book?

    • It passed through the book toward your eye
    • It reflected off the book toward your eye
    • It was absorbed by the book instead of leaving

  2. Which best describes how you see an ordinary ball lying on sunlit grass?

    • Light bounces off the ball and enters your eyes
    • Light leaves your eyes and travels onto the ball
    • Light is made inside the ball and enters your eyes

  3. Your eyes make a beam that lights objects so you can see them.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A room contains no light at all. Why can you not see ordinary shoes on its floor, even after waiting?

    • There is no light to reflect off the shoes into your eyes
    • Your eyes will make their own light after a few minutes
    • The shoes stop reflecting forever when the room becomes dark

  5. A lamp is the only light reaching a wooden toy. An opaque card blocks all lamp light before it reaches the toy. Why can you no longer see the toy?

    • The toy now makes light that travels away from your eyes
    • The card sends extra lamp light through itself to the toy
    • The toy has no incoming light to reflect into your eyes

  6. A glowing lamp must reflect light from another lamp before you can see it.

    Circle one:   True   False

  7. Sunlight enters a cave and hits a rock. Some reflected light may reach other surfaces. What must happen for you to see any non-glowing surface there?

    • Your body must make the light that reaches that surface
    • Your eyes must send a beam that illuminates that surface
    • Light must reach the surface and reflect into your eyes

  8. Zara says an ordinary apple must make light because she can see it in a lit room. What corrects her idea?

    • The apple makes blue light whenever a lamp shines on it
    • The apple reflects light; it does not make its own light.
    • No apple can be visible under light from an ordinary lamp
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

How we see objects W1-mt_6w2g7aoPgz-s1

  1. It reflected off the book toward your eye · The portion reaching your eye reflected from the book. Other incoming light may be absorbed.
  2. Light bounces off the ball and enters your eyes · Sunlight reaches the ball. Some reflects into your eyes, letting you see the ball.
  3. False · Eyes receive light for vision. They do not illuminate objects with a seeing beam.
  4. There is no light to reflect off the shoes into your eyes · The question states total darkness. Waiting does not create the light needed to see the shoes.
  5. The toy has no incoming light to reflect into your eyes · The card interrupts the lamp-to-toy path. With no other illumination, the toy cannot send reflected light into your eyes.
  6. False · A glowing lamp makes light. Its own light can enter your eyes directly.
  7. Light must reach the surface and reflect into your eyes · The required path is illumination followed by reflection into your eyes. Illumination can include light already reflected from another rock.
  8. The apple reflects light; it does not make its own light. · You can see the apple because it reflects light, not because it makes its own light.
Worksheet · LightMySky