Educationa

l
Technolog
y
Unit
ETUlay Online Tutorial

Physical Science
Q4 Week 3 : Propagation of Light (Reflection
and Refraction) as Explained by the Wave and
Particle Models
Quarter 4 Week 3
At the end of the session you will be able to;

• Explain the wave and particle models of light

• Describe reflection and refraction in terms of the wave and particle models
of light
• Explain propagation of light using the wave and particle models.
What I Know
Theories About Light
It has been
debated whether
light is a wave or
a flow of
extremely small
particles.
According to Rene
Descartes, light was a
mechanical property of a
luminous object and a
transmitting medium
Particle Theory of Light
Isaac Newton proposed the
corpuscular or the particle
theory of light
 Particle Theory of Light
• Light is composed of particles of matter
called corpuscles which are emitted in all
direction from a source
Particle Theory of Light
Wave Theory of Light
Christiaan Huygens
proposed the WAVE
THEORY OF LIGHT in
1678 in which the light is
made up of waves.
Wave Theory of Light
• Light coming from a source sends out waves in a
medium called ether. A medium is not necessary for
the propagation of waves
• Light is a form of energy and has wave characteristics
• Light wave has short wavelengths
Wave Theory of Light
Wave Theory of Light
Dual Property of Light (A Wave and a
Particle)
Dual Property of Light (A Wave and a
Particle)

• As particles, light
travel in straight
lines, producing
shadow when they hit
an obstruction
Dual Property of Light (A Wave and a
Particle)

• As a wave, light can

diffract or bend around
an object.
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory
• Light arrive at the mirror
surface as a stream of
particle.
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory

• Light, as waves, upon

impacting a mirror
bounced off or reflect
according to arrival
angles.
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory
• Light, as waves,
changes direction upon
passing from first
medium to second
medium
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory
• Refracting particles of
light change direction
upon passing between
two media.
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory

Reflection produces different type of images

(virtual or real) depending on the reflecting
surface.
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory
• Plane mirror
produces specular
or regular
reflection
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory
• The image
distance and
object distance in
the mirror are
equal.
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory
• Convex mirror is
spherical mirror
with reflecting
surface that curves
outward
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory
• Convex mirror
produces virtual
images that are
reduced and
located behind the
mirror
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory
• Concave mirrors are
spherical mirrors with
reflecting surface that
curves inward.
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory
• Concave mirrors
produces mostly real and
reduced images but can
also produce virtual
images depending on the
location of the object
Reflection and Refraction of Light according
to Particle and Wave Theory

A real image is
produced when an
object is located in
between the
FOCUS and the
reflecting surface
Propagation of Light
Light is an
electromagnetic
radiation travelling
through space as an
oscillating wave at a
speed of 299,792,458
m/s
Propagation of Light
Propagation of Light
Propagation of Light

• Light can be reflected, absorbed

or transmitted (refracted).
Propagation of Light
• light falling on
smooth surfaces
produces images
that our eyes can
perceive
Propagation of Light
• Lights of certain
wavelengths (colors)
are absorbed and
reflected, with the
reflected wavelength
visible to the
observer
 Summary
• The corpuscular and wave theory of light were
proposed by Newton and Hudgens respectively;
• Light travels at 3.0 x 108 m/s in a vacuum
• White light is composed of light waves of
different wavelength (colors)
• Light can be reflected, refracted, absorbed
 What I Know

1. He proposed that light is composed of particles that are

travelling in a straight line.

a. Christiaan Huygens c. Max Planck

b. Louis de Broglie d. Isaac Newton
 What I Know
2. What evidence tells that light is made up of particles
travelling in a straight line
a. Formation of shadows when light hits obstacles
b. Inversion of images formed on plane mirrors
c. Production of ripples when a penny is dropped to a pond
d. Scattering of light rays when they reach a
smooth surface
 What I Know
3. What is the speed of light as it propagates through space?

a. 1.0 x 108 m/s

b. 2.0 x 108 m/s
c. 3.0 x 108 m/s
d. 4.0 x 108 m/s
 What I Know
4. A student placed a pencil in a glass of water as in the figure
at the right. Why did the pencil appear to be broken?

a. Light always travel in a straight line

b. Light makes the water evaporate into the air
c. Light reflects the pencil on the water’s surface
d. Light bends when it passes through changing medium
like air and water
 What I Know
5. Why do most leaves appear green to our sight?
a. All the colors of white light are absorbe by the leaves

b. The leaves of the light are scattered by the molecules of the

green leaves
c. Most of the colours of incident white light are reflected from the
leaves except green
d. The colours of the white light are absorbed by the leaves and
green waves are reflected.
 Educationa
l
Technolog
y
Unit

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