Reflection & Refraction
State the law of reflection (angle of incidence = angle of reflection) and explain refraction as the change in speed and direction when light crosses a boundary between two media; apply ray diagrams for plane mirrors and refracting surfaces
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“If your child put a straw in a glass of water and it looked bent at the surface, could they explain why that happens — drawing a diagram to show the path of light at the water’s surface?”
Full guide and materials
- Activity. State the law of reflection (angle of incidence = angle of reflection) and explain refraction as the change in speed and direction when light crosses a boundary between two media; apply ray diagrams for plane mirrors and refracting surfaces
What to notice. States the law of reflection and applies it to draw a reflected ray correctly • Draws a ray diagram for a plane mirror showing a virtual image • Explains why a pencil looks bent in a glass of water using refraction • Explains qualitatively why light bends towards the normal when entering a denser medium
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If your child put a straw in a glass of water and it looked bent at the surface, could they explain why that happens — drawing a diagram to show the path of light at the water’s surface?
State the law of reflection (angle of incidence = angle of reflection) and explain refraction as the change in speed and direction when light crosses a boundary between two media; apply ray diagrams for plane mirrors and refracting surfaces
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Check understanding
- States the law of reflection and applies it to draw a reflected ray correctly
- Draws a ray diagram for a plane mirror showing a virtual image
- Explains why a pencil looks bent in a glass of water using refraction
- Explains qualitatively why light bends towards the normal when entering a denser medium
“If your child put a straw in a glass of water and it looked bent at the surface, could they explain why that happens — drawing a diagram to show the path of light at the water’s surface?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Waves, Light & Sound
- Age range
- Ages 11–12
Standards