Explore - Looking Around With Light
Completion requirements
Explore - Looking around with Light
Use what you know about light transmission to test different materials to determine if they are transparent, translucent, or opaque. We call this the “light transmission test”.
Before you complete the following activity, check your knowledge of these terms. Read each definition and decide whether it defines: transparent, translucent or opaque. Then check your answers.
-
If light passes through it completely, the object is:
transparent -
If light cannot pass through at all, the object is:
opaque -
If light can pass through it a little, the object is:
translucent
Notebook: What common materials are transparent, translucent, or opaque?
- Click here to download this activity.
- Complete the activity and check your work below.
- Save your corrected work to your Light Notebook.
Check Your Answers
* if you have a thin paper bag, and can see light through it, it should be considered translucent.
| Transparent | Translucent | Opaque | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall | X | ||
| Plastic wrap/ ziploc bag | X | ||
| Tissue paper | X | ||
| Cardboard | X | ||
| Tinfoil | X | ||
| Window/ glass | X | ||
| Sunglasses | X | ||
| Paper bag | * | X | |
| Plastic bag | X |
* if you have a thin paper bag, and can see light through it, it should be considered translucent.