Light Waves and Color

The lesson plans below include links to the specific resources on our website.

Teacher Guides for labs can be found here.


     

Day 1 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Introduce unit
2. Briefly discuss the dual nature of light
3. Science Reasoning Center: Models of Light

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 1, Part a-c

 

Day 2 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Physics Interactives: The Photoelectric Effect with Student Activity Sheet
   Do and post-lab, emphasizing the evidence for light behaving as a particle (the rest of the unit focuses on light as a wave)
2. Discuss wave behaviors of light: interference, polarization; demonstrations
3. Physics Interactives: Polarization by Reflection as a demonstration
4. Pair Practice: Polarization Think Sheet

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 1, Part d
2. Minds On Physics: Mission LC2 on Polarization

 

Day 3 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Science Reasoning Center: Electromagnetic Spectrum
   Do and post-lab
2. Discuss Electromagnetic spectrum; patterns for wavelength, frequency, and energy; discuss visible light spectrum
3. Pair Practice: Light Waves and Matter Think Sheet

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Parts a, b, and c
2. Minds On Physics: Mission LC1 on Electromagnetic and Visible Light Spectrum

 

Day 4 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Lab 1: Diluted by Distance
   Collect data, discuss results; practice some inverse square law thinking
2. Science Reasoning Center: Light Intensity

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Concept Builder: Light Intensity

 

Day 5 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Review interference, two-point source interference, interference patterns; show Ripple Tank Simulator as a demonstration
2. Physics Interactives: Two-Point Source Interference Patterns
   Use Student Activity Sheet 
3. Discuss Path Difference; do selected problems from Path Difference Think Sheet

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 3, Parts a and b
2. Two-Point Source Interference Concept Checker

 

Day 6 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Do selected problems from Path Difference Think Sheet
2. Derive Young's Equation; use Mathematical Model Think Sheet
3. Discuss meaning of variables y, d, m, and L; use Young's Equation Think Sheet
4. Lab 2 - Two-Point Source Analysis

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 3, Parts c and d
2. CalcPad: Light Waves 1 on Path Difference

 

Day 7 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Young's Equation
   Review equation, meaning of variables; discuss units (m, cm, nm. µm, Å, etc.); do examples from Young's Equation Think Sheet
2. Pair Practice: complete Young's Equation Think Sheet
3. Lab 3 - Young's Experiment

 
Homework/Announcements

1. CalcPad: Light Waves 2 on Young's Equation
2. Physics Interactives: Young's Experiment (with built-in Task Tracking)

 

Day 8 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Introduce Color
   Discuss the light wavelengths and color, ROYGBIV; the eye (retina, cones, etc.); incident-absorbed-reflected model; use Reflection, Transmission, and Color (selected Qs)
2. Pair Practice: complete Reflection, Transmission, and Color Think Sheet
3. Physics Interactives: RGB Color Addition with Student Activity Sheet
   Do and process
4. Discuss primary colors of light; color wheel; complementary colors; color subtraction; use of incident-absorbed-reflected model to explain the colors we see

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Part d
2. Concept Checker: RGB Color Addition

 

Day 9 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Review Color Addition
2. Lab 4: Taking Away From RGB
   Do and process; discuss rules of color subtraction; color wheel and color equations
3. Pair Practice: Color Addition and Subtraction Think Sheet
4. Concept Builder: Color Addition and Subtraction

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Part e
2. Minds On Physics: Mission LC4 on Complementary Colors of Light

 

Day 10 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Physics Interactives: Painting with CMY with Student Activity Sheet
   Do and process; discuss what do pigments do? Do some examples with an incident-absorbed-reflected diagram
2. Pair Practice: Pigments and Paints Think Sheet (Q#1-5)
3. Concept Checker: Painting with CMY
4. Start Concept Builder: Color Pigment

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Review: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Part e
2. Concept Builder: Color Pigments

 

Day 11 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Physics Interactives: Stage Lighting with Student Activity Sheet
   Do and process; discuss what happens when the incident light isn't white? Do some examples with an incident-absorbed-reflected diagram; selected Qs from Viewed in Another Light Think Sheet
2. Pair Practice: Viewed in Another Light Think Sheet
3. Concept Checker: Stage Lighting

Homework/Announcements

1. Minds On Physics: Mission LC5 on Color Subtraction
2. Minds On Physics: Mission LC6 on Primary Pigments

 

Day 12 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Lab 5: Filtering Away
2. Discuss filters; transition to the incident-absorbed-transmitted model; do some examples (Q#6 on Pigments and Paints Think Sheet)
3. Minds On Physics: Mission LC8 on Color Filters

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Concept Builder: Color Filters

 

Day 13 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan

1. Demonstration of colored shadows using RGB Lights; emphasize color subtraction and color addition
2. Physics Interactives: Colored Shadows
   Have students construct and label a diagram of their observations; do Shadows Think Sheet
3. Minds On Physics: Mission LC9 on Shadows
4. Review unit

 
Homework/Announcements

1. Prepare for Tomorrow's Test
2. Complete all unfinished work