WEEKLY LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Physical Science G11 Quarter 2 Week 3b

Light as a Wave and a Particle

Name: _______________________________________________ Section: ____________________

Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC)

Explain how the photon concept and the fact that the energy of a photon is directly proportional
to its frequency can be used to explain why red light is used in photographic dark rooms, why we get
easily sunburned in ultraviolet light but not in visible light, and how we see colors (S11/12PS-IVf-61).

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe a photon as a particle of light.

2. Explain phenomena of light particles and its common applications.
3. Design and create a useful product for practical purposes that use mirrors and lenses.

Key Concepts

Communication and technology has continuously evolved with more amazing breakthroughs and
opened numerous applications of electromagnetic waves. The speed of the electromagnetic waves –
about 300,000,000 meters per second- records the fastest to travel in space but slows down as it
passes to different medium. This unique characteristic of light fascinates scientist for years to find
evidence on the long-time debate that light is a wave or a stream of particle.

Certain phenomena like polarizing filter and photoelectric effect has come to a clearer
explanation not until Albert Einstein in 1905, suggested that we should sometimes think of light as a
particle, instead of a wave. He asserted that we should think that a beam of light as though it were a
stream of tiny energy packets containing a certain amount of energy corresponding to their
wavelength, which it can transfer to the electrons when it strikes the metal. Einstein called these
packets light quanta, but now it’s called photons.

How do photons behave? When a beam of light shines on some substances, it causes tiny
particles called electron to move causing an electric current to flow. Sometimes light can even remove
electrons from a substance. The photoelectric effect is a phenomenon where irradiating a blue light on
metal emits electrons from it. However, red light does not cause electron emission from metal no
matter how long or how intense the light is applied. Blue light is a particle having high energy capable
of emitting electrons. Red light is particle containing low energy not capable of emitting electrons. To
understand this effect, you should think of photon as particles containing energy. So light in this way
came to be called “photons (light quanta)” since it has the properties not only of a wave but also of a
particle.

Author: Eocelin
Author: C. Canonigo
Eocelin C. Canonigo 1 1
School/Station: Cahayagan
School/Station: National
Cahayagan High School
National High School
Division: Agusan
Division: del Norte
Agusan del Norte
Email:Email:
eocelin.canonigo@deped.gov.ph
eocelin.canonigo@deped.gov.ph
ht is a wave or a stream of particle.

Certain phenomena like polarizing filter and photoelectric effect has come to a clearer
explanation not until Albert Einstein in 1905, suggested that we should sometimes think of light as a
particle, instead of a wave. He asserted that we should think that a beam of light as though it were a
stream of tiny energy packets containing a certain amount of energy corresponding to their
wavelength, which it can transfer to the electrons when it strikes the metal. Einstein called these
packets light quanta, but now it’s called photons.

How do photons behave? When a beam of light shines on some substances, it causes tiny
particles called electron to move causing an electric current to flow. Sometimes light can even remove
electrons from a substance. The photoelectric effect is a phenomenon where irradiating a blue light on
metal emits electrons from it. However, red light does not cause electron emission from metal no
matter how long or how intense the light is applied. Blue light is particles having high energy capable
of emitting electrons. Red light is particles containing low energy not capable of emitting electrons. To
understand this effect, you should think of photon as particles containing energy. So light in this way
came to be called “photons (light quanta)” since it has the properties not only of a wave but also of a
particle.

Photoelectric effect is commonly applied in photography. Only red light is allowed to be use in a
darkroom. A darkroom is used to process photographic film, to make prints and to carry out other
associated tasks. This room should be made completely dark to allow the processing of
the light-sensitive photographic materials, including film and photographic paper. Papers used in
black and white photography are coated with an emulsion typically containing Silver halide crystals
in a gelatin solution. This emulsion is sensitive to blue and green light, but not red light. This makes
it safe to use a red safelight while making black and white prints. Even so, one exposes paper to such
light as little as possible. Generally you would keep your paper in a light safe box and only remove one
sheet at a time as you work. Some paper and film manufacturers include technical specification on
labels of their packaging so that you know what lights and chemicals are appropriate to use with a
particular product.

Are photons responsible why we get easily sunburned in ultraviolet light but not in visible light?
We are advice to put on some sunscreen lotion and sunblock when we are out in the field, because
ultraviolet light (UV) from the sun damages the skin cells expose to it. Why does UV light cause
damage? If we consider light a packet of energy called a photon (particle) as electromagnetic wave,
EM, then we are at risks of cell damage. Physicists classify EM waves according to their wavelength,
the shorter the wavelength the more energy. UV waves are shorter than visible light waves, so UV
possesses more energy than regular visible light. UV photons have the right energies to cause
chemical changes. When UV light hits your skin, the DNA in your skin cells can undergo chemical
change. These DNA lesions are called thymine dimers. Your body has several strategies to repair cell
damage, but occasionally the repair is not done correctly and a mutation results. An accumulation of
mutations can make the skin cell malignant; resulting in cancer. If the damage is too great, the cells
just die. That's what happens when you suffer severe sunburns. The outer layer of skin dies and a
new layer must grow back.

Author: Eocelin C. Canonigo 2

School/Station: Cahayagan National High School
Division: Agusan del Norte
Email: eocelin.canonigo@deped.gov.ph
 Not every UV photon causes chemical damage, and not all UV light reaches Earth. The ultraviolet
region is commonly divided into UVA with wavelengths from 400 to 320 nanometers (a nanometer is
a billionth of a meter); UVB from about 320 to 290 nanometers; and UVC from about 290 to 200
nanometers. By comparison, visible light has wavelengths from about 400 to 700 nm. Since UVB and
UVC waves have more energy, they have the greatest potential to damage the skin. However, we
Earthlings are fortunate because atmospheric chemicals, especially ozone, absorb much of the UVB
and UVC before reaching the Earth’s surface. However, some UV light does reach the surface and can
cause skin damage. You should avoid excessive exposure to UV light, whether from the sun or a
man-made source, to protect your skin. An estimated 90% of basal and squamous cell skin cancers
and 65% of melanoma cancers result from UV exposure.

There are two methods of protection from UV. First, simply prevent long exposure. Stay out of the
sun, or cover yourself when out in the sun. Second, use a sunscreen containing chemicals like PABA
which can absorb UV light and convert it to heat. This shields the DNA in your cells and you don't
burn. But don't stay in the dark, either! UV light synthesizes Vitamin D in your skin; children who
don’t make enough vitamin D get rickets, so people need to get a little sun, or take a vitamin
supplement.

Does photon has something to do with how do we see? The human eye and brain together
translate light into color. Considered to be part of the brain itself, the retina is covered by millions of
light-sensitive cells, some shaped like rods and some like cones. These receptors process the light into
nerve impulses and pass them along to the cortex of the brain via the optic nerve.

Have you ever wondered why your peripheral vision is less sharp and colorful than your front-on
vision? It's because of the rods and cones. Rods are most highly concentrated around the edge of the
retina. There are over 120 million of them in each eye. Rods transmit mostly black and white
information to the brain. As rods are more sensitive to dim light than cones, you lose most color vision
in dusky light and your peripheral vision is less colorful. It is the rods that help your eyes adjust when
you enter a darkened room. Light receptors within the eye transmit messages to the brain, which
produces the familiar sensations of color. Cones are concentrated in the middle of the retina, with
fewer on the periphery. Six million cones in each eye transmit the higher levels of light intensity that
create the sensation of color and visual sharpness. There are three types of cone-shaped cells, each
sensitive to the long, medium or short wavelengths of light. These cells, working in combination with
connecting nerve cells, give the brain enough information to interpret and name colors.

Newton observed that color is not inherent in objects. Rather, the surface of an object reflects
some colors and absorbs all the others. We perceive only the reflected colors. Thus, red is not "in" an
apple. The surface of the apple is reflecting the wavelengths we see as red and absorbing all the rest.
An object appears white when it reflects all wavelengths and black when it absorbs them all. Red,
green and blue are the additive primary colors of the color spectrum. Combining balanced amounts of
red, green and blue lights also produces pure white. By varying the amount of red, green and blue
light, all of the colors in the visible spectrum can be produced.

When light hits an object – say, a banana – the object absorbs some of the light and reflects the
rest of it. Which wavelengths are reflected or absorbed depends on the properties of the object? For a
ripe banana, wavelengths of about 570 to 580 nanometers bounce back. These are the wavelengths of

Author: Eocelin C. Canonigo 3

School/Station: Cahayagan National High School
Division: Agusan del Norte
Email: eocelin.canonigo@deped.gov.ph
yellow light. When you look at a banana, the wavelengths of reflected light determine what color you
see. The light waves reflect off the banana's peel and hit the light-sensitive retina at the back of your
eye. That's where cones come in. Cones are one type of photoreceptor, the tiny cells in the retina that
respond to light. Most of us have 6 to 7 million cones, and almost all of them are concentrated on a
0.3 millimeter spot on the retina called the fovea centralis.

The human eye can perceive more variations in warmer colors than cooler ones. This is because
almost 2/3 of the cones process the longer light wavelengths (reds, oranges and yellows). About 8% of
men and 1% of women have some form of color impairment. Most people with color deficiencies aren't
aware that the colors they perceive as identical appear different to other people. Most still perceive
color, but certain colors are transmitted to the brain differently. The most common impairment is red
and green dichromatism which causes red and green to appear indistinguishable. Other impairments
affect other color pairs. People with total color blindness are very rare.

Birds, fish and many other mammals perceive the full spectrum. Some insects, especially bees,
can see ultraviolet colors invisible to the human eye. In fact, color camouflage, one of nature's favorite
survival mechanisms, depends on the ability of the predator to distinguish colors. The predator is
expected to be fooled by the color matching of the prey. Until recently, it was thought that dogs didn't
see any color at all. Recent studies now show, however, that dogs can differentiate between red and
blue and can even pick out subtle differences in shades of blue and violet.

Activity 1. Photons Be Like

What you need:

Activity Sheets, pen and paper

What to do:

Describe a photon by making a picture of how it looks the way you perceived it and explain your
picture briefly.

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Guide Questions:

Q1. If photon is a particle, how do you think it would react when its strikes a barrier?
Q2. If photon has energy and each electromagnetic wave is a packet of photons, which do you
think has the greatest energy among the colors and which has lesser energy?

Author: Eocelin C. Canonigo 4

School/Station: Cahayagan National High School
Division: Agusan del Norte
Email: eocelin.canonigo@deped.gov.ph
Activity 2. Photon shots

What to do:

Below are statements explaining certain phenomena where photons are involved carrying
energy with different wavelengths and frequencies related to photography, radiation effects and how
we see things. Tell whether the statement happens in the (A) dark room, (B)under the sun (C) scope of
our eyes. Write the letter of your choice in your answer sheet.

1. Safe lighting is done to provide sufficient illumination without any detrimental effect on the
sensitive film material.
2. When white light is passed through coloured filters, certain wavelengths (or colours) are
absorbed by the filters, whilst those wavelengths, which correspond to the colour of the
filters will be transmitted.
3. Red light is used as safelight because it has greater wavelength and less frequency.
4. Silver halide crystals in a gelatin solution are used as emulsion to coat the paper for photo
printing because it’s not sensitive to red color.
5. Lotions are formulated with SPF. The greater the SPF the greater protection you get from
radiation.
6. Visible light are less harmful than ultraviolet light because it has longer wavelength less
frequency therefore it is less penetrating.
7. Wearing black clothes under sunshine makes you warmer because black absorbs all
electromagnetic radiation.
8. A white appearance means all colors are reflected by the object.
9. Light enters into our eyes and form virtual image in the retina.
10. Our rods and cones in the eyes are sensitive to various colors, and are capable of reducing
the amount of light energy it will receive.

B. Consider the dual property of light as a wave and a particle, how do you think it behaves for us to
see? Use the illustration below to make a diagram of how light behave and describe it briefly. Write
your answer on your answer sheet. You will be scored with;

3 Points - diagrams and description are accurately stated

2 Points - any one of the diagram or description is inaccurately stated
1 Point - Only one of the required is stated.
0 Point - diagram and description are not evident

B.1 How do we see objects around us? B.2 How the photons could pass through these fence?

(Make a diagram of the

possible shadow of the
fence on the left.)
©Google.com
©Google.com

Figure 1 Light Ray Diagram of how we see objects. Figure 2 Light Ray Diagram of photons passing through the fence
Author: Eocelin C. Canonigo 5
School/Station: Cahayagan National High School
Division: Agusan del Norte
Email: eocelin.canonigo@deped.gov.ph
B.3 What color would be seen on the white wall if photons pass through various filters?

Red Blue Green White

Filter Filter Filter wall

Guide Questions:

Q1. What are ways we do to protect ourselves from ultraviolet rays of the sun?
Q2. What do you think happened in the process where a blurred picture or foggy
photos were produce?
Q3. Our eyes automatically closed halfway when there is so much light in the
environment. What do you think is the cause of this?

Activity 3. DIY App! Photon Opp!

What to do:

It is a challenge to young scientist like you to be creative, resourceful and productive. It

would be a great opportunity for you to make applications on the lessons you got about photons.
You are going to design and create a useful product for practical purposes that use mirrors and
lenses using the concept of the photons and inspired by its wide application.

You will be scored accordingly:

5 points – Design created are genuine and of practical use and presented with creativeness.
3 points – Design are of less essential.
1 point - Design are incomplete.
0 Point - No evidence of output submitted.

Guide Questions

Q1. What basic needs of men you design is addressed and who are the target beneficiary?
Q2. What is the relevance and importance of your design?
Q3. Why did you choose such design?

Author: Eocelin C. Canonigo 6

School/Station: Cahayagan National High School
Division: Agusan del Norte
Email: eocelin.canonigo@deped.gov.ph
Reflections:

Give practical applications of the duality nature of light in one of the following fields. Write your
5-sentence answer in a separate sheet of paper.
1. Agriculture and food production
2. Advertisement and audio-visual media
3. Landscaping and gardening

Rubrics:

5 points - Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the concepts, and has no
misconception.
3 points- Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the concepts, but with
minimal misconception.
1 point - Practical application is explained consistent to the concepts, but with misconceptions.
0 point- No discussion.

References

Hewitt, P.G. et.al. (2016). The Nature of Light. Conceptual Physical Science, 6th Edition. Pearson
Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Frank, D., et al. (2002). Pysical Science. Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Toyoda, Haruyoshi (2019). The Nature of Light. HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS Europe GmbH,
Arzbergerstr. 1082211 Herrsching, Germany Accesed on November 05, 2020
https://photonterrace.net/en/photon/behavior/

Olympus Corporation ( 2018). Light: Particle or A wave accessed on November 05, 2020 @
https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/microscope-resource/primer/lightandcolor/
particleorwave/

Shipman, J.T (2012) What is Light?. Introduction to Physical Science. Cengage Learning 7th Floor,
Fusion Square Plot no. 5A & 5B, Sector 126, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201303, India
Cengage Learning India Private Limited

Author: Eocelin C. Canonigo 7

School/Station: Cahayagan National High School
Division: Agusan del Norte
Email: eocelin.canonigo@deped.gov.ph
Answer Key

Answer may vary.

Reflections

Answer may vary

Activity 3

Author: Eocelin C. Canonigo 8

School/Station: Cahayagan National High School
Division: Agusan del Norte
Email: eocelin.canonigo@deped.gov.ph