(1) the process of light ‘bouncing off’ a surface (2) an image seen in a mirror

describes an image that has been ‘flipped’ horizontally

a dashed line drawn to show where light seems to be (but is not actually) coming from

an image that can be seen but not projected onto a screen

Reflected images

Science

Seeing in colour

The visible spectrum

Reflecting colour

A pinhole camera

Refracting light

Focusing light

In the Waves unit, they will build on this knowledge to learn about the properties and propagation of transverse and longitudinal waves.

In the Sound, light and vision unit, pupils learnt how sound waves travel through different types of medium and are absorbed and reflected, how light is reflected off mirrors, and how the eye can see objects by the light they reflect.

This unit explores the transmission of light, including absorption, scattering, and reflection, and the use of the ray model in imaging, refraction, and lenses. It also covers energy transfer in various processes, using safe techniques, making accurate observations, and improving reliability.

Making images

A door is 4 m from a mirror. What is the distance between the door and the place where its reflection appears to be?

The picture shows four people and a cat looking at a mirror. Who can see the cat in the mirror?

A pupil has a piece of card with the text ‘HELLO’ on it, as shown. They flip it around horizontally so that it faces a mirror. Which of the following reflections do they see in the mirror?

If an object is on the right, its image is on the left.

The image of an object can be larger than the object.

The image of an object can be smaller than the object.

If an object is farther from the mirror, its image is further from the mirror.

Which of the following describes reflections seen in mirrors?

Virtual rays show paths travelled by light.

Virtual rays do not show paths travelled by light.

A virtual image cannot be projected onto a screen.

Which of the following statements about virtual rays and virtual images are correct?

The mirror creates light which produces images.

Our brain imagines reflections because we are expecting to see them.

Light from objects passes through the mirror to make images behind it.

Our eyes trace back to where the reflected rays appear to have come from.

Which of the following explains why we see images in mirrors?

Which of the following is a word meaning ‘representation of a real object’?

Which of the following is a definition of the word ‘inverted’?

What happens when light ‘bounces off’ a surface.

Light changing direction when it enters a material.

Which of the following are definitions of the word ‘reflection’?

If the incident rays are parallel, then the reflected rays are parallel.

If the incident rays are parallel, then the reflected rays are not parallel.

If the incident rays are not parallel, then the reflected rays are parallel.

If the incident rays are not parallel, then the reflected rays are not parallel.

Which of the following describe the way a plane (flat) mirror reflects light?

The angles are on opposite sides of the mirror.

The angles are on opposite sides of the normal.

In the laws of reflection, which of the following statements comparing the angle of incidence and angle of reflection are correct?

The light hitting the screen is too bright.

Light from each point on the bulb hits every point on the screen.

Light from each point on the bulb hits only one point on the screen.

A pupil holds up a white screen at a short distance from a filament bulb that is switched on. Which of the following statements explains why a representation of the bulb does not appear on the screen?

Starter Quiz

Which of the following is a word meaning ‘representation of a real object’?