Learning Activity Sheet

Science 10
Second Quarter - Week 7

Name of Learner: _______________________________________________ Date:___________

Section: ________________

MELC No: 10
MELC: Identify ways in which the properties of mirrors and lenses determine their
use in optical instruments (e.g., cameras and binoculars)

Learning Activity 1
Title of the Activity: Mirrors in Everyday Lives

Objectives: Identify different types of mirrors and their uses.

Direction: Read a short article below and answer the guide questions that follows.
How Science Impacts Everyday Life: Mirrors
By: Sophia Leipnitz
One way in which science impacts my everyday life is the use of mirrors –
which we can spend hours a day in front of. In fact, a study conducted in 2016 found
that Italians spend the most time in front of a mirror per day. Mirrors serve many
functions for us: letting us see ourselves when we put on makeup, wash our faces,
try on clothes and more. This is also true for much of the animal kingdom; as
peacocks, apes and elephants like to admire their own reflection too.
When I brush my teeth, I can see exactly where I need to reach. But how does
science enable me to do this? I turn on the bathroom light and the room has
instantaneously lit up, including me. Light is an electromagnetic wave, moving at
approximately 3×108 m/s. When it hits the mirror boundary, it reflects off its surface.
The angle at which the light hits the mirror (relative to a normal, perpendicular to
the mirror’s surface), is called the angle of incidence, which is equal to the angle of
reflection (the angle that the light is reflected at).
Mirrors have a glass layer then a layer of silver or aluminum. It is the metal
atoms that absorb the light, and by doing so, electrons in their atoms become excited.
This means that the electrons have gained energy and ‘jump’ to a higher energy level.
However, the atoms must stay stable, so the electrons de-excite and return to their
original lower energy level. When they do this, some energy is emitted in the form of
light. This light travels in a straight line – directly into my eyes. Now, I can see that I
still have food in my mouth, and I get rid of it. Thanks science.
I sometimes pluck my eyebrows with a mirror that has a magnifying effect on
the reflected image, to allow me to properly view my face. Most household mirrors
are flat (plane), but this mirror is different because it is concave and bulges inwards.
It focuses all the light beams onto one central focal point, and this concentration of
light enlarges the image. Some dentist’s mirrors are also concave, to magnify the
image of the back of their patient’s teeth.
Another way in which mirrors impact my everyday life is by increasing road
safety. The bus I take to school has two big side mirrors so that the driver can see
behind when needed. Cars generally have two side mirrors and a rear-view mirror,
and collectively, they help to prevent road accidents. The side mirror on a car is
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usually convex, which means it curves outwards. As a result, the mirror distorts the
image to appear smaller than its real size. Convex mirrors are preferred as they give
a wider field of view for the driver.
But why can’t a driver see a reflection by looking elsewhere, like the inside of
the car? It is because mirrors have a (microscopically) smooth surface, which
contribute to specular reflection. Specular reflection means all the light is reflected
in one direction, and the image is clear. This is the opposite of diffuse reflection,
reflecting off imperfections in rough surfaces such as fabric.
Mirrors also serve purpose in cameras, specifically digital single-lens reflex (DSLR)
cameras. DSLR cameras use mirrors to reflect light from the lens to the viewfinder.
Mirrored surfaces are used in architecture and sculpture too – such as the Cloud
Gate in Chicago. Someone should take a photo of it using a DSLR camera; that would
really prove a mirror’s utility.
Overall, mirrors have had a crucial impact on humanity and everyday life –
except from increasing our vanity, of course – from medical equipment to vehicles.
Perhaps most unconventionally, according to experts, the number one item that is
most essential for survival on a deserted island is… (you’ve guessed it) a mirror.
Mirrors can reflect sunlight for long distance signaling (up to tens of miles) to
overhead aircraft. Probably the most common use – looking into a mirror, can reveal
something about ourselves psychologically, but ultimately show us a reflection of
ourselves.

Guide Questions:
1.What are the different types of mirrors? Give example of each mirror.
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2.Do mirrors have different characteristics? What made each type of mirror unique
from the other types?
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3. Do you think mirrors made our life easier? Why or why not?
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Complete the table below.

Type of Mirror Shape Size and Type Converging or Example of
of Image Diverging Optical
Formed Instrument
Plane

Concave

Convex
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Learning Activity 2
Title of the Activity: Lenses Around Us!

Objectives: Identify different types of lens and its uses

Directions: Study the diagram below and answer the guide questions that follow.

Guide Questions:
1.What is the difference between convex and concave lens?
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__________________________________________________________________________________

2. What happens to the image of an object when viewed using convex lens? how
about when using concave lens?
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__________________________________________________________________________________

3.How do you think lenses can help in correcting vision problems like
nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia)?
__________________________________________________________________________________
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Complete the table below.

Type of Lens Shape Size and Type of Converging or Example of

Image Formed Diverging Optical
Instrument
Convex

Concave
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Choose two optical instruments from the images below. Identify what type of mirror
or lens is present and why is it used in that instrument. Enumerate what is the
importance of your chosen instruments.

Optical Type of Use of Mirror/Lens Importance

Instrument Mirror/Lens

Prepared by: Checked by:

Rizza Lynn A. delos Reyes Lito C. Claveria
Science Teacher Evaluator
Subject Coordinator