Year 9 · Science

Light waves in Year 9 Science

6 checked activities 6 video matches

What should you know about light waves at KS3?

Light is a transverse electromagnetic wave that travels in straight lines through a uniform material. It can be reflected, refracted, absorbed or transmitted. White light can also be dispersed into a spectrum of colours, while lenses refract rays to form images in the eye and in cameras.

Key light-wave behaviours
Behaviour	What happens	Example
Reflection	Light changes direction at a surface	A ray reflects from a mirror at the same angle
Refraction	Light changes speed and direction at a boundary	A ray entering glass from air bends towards the normal
Dispersion	Different colours refract by different amounts	A prism separates white light into a spectrum

Keep practising: Use the Year 9 Science checklist

Year 9 learners practise how light waves and lenses work.

The activities include Describe Properties of Light Waves, Describe Refraction and Define Refractive Index, Describe the Transmission of Light Through Materials, and related practice. The checked support below includes video, worksheet, teaching, lesson. Open a resource in its provider's website and choose the format that best helps the learner explain the idea independently.

Activities covered

Describe Properties of Light Waves
Describe Refraction and Define Refractive Index
Describe the Transmission of Light Through Materials
Explain Effects of Dispersion and Mixing Primary Colours of Light
Explain How Images are Made by Eyes and Cameras
Explain How Lenses Form Images

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