Page 137 - Active Science 5 Ebook and Activity

Properties of a Shadow
Some of the important properties of a shadow are:

1. A shadow is formed on the surface which is on the other side of the light source.
2. A shadow does not give the details of an object. Only the outline or the shape of an
object is shown by its shadow.

3. A shadow is always dark. The colour of the shadow is not the same as that of the object.

4. The size of a shadow varies by changing the distance between an object and source
of light. It also depends on the distance between an object and the surface on which
a shadow forms.

Let’s Recapitulate

Tick the correct statements.

1. Transparent objects form shadows. _____
2. A light source is necessary for the formation of a shadow. _____

3. Opaque objects form a pale shadow. _____
4. The colour of the shadow is the same as that of the object. _____

To understand how the size of a shadow varies on changing the distance between object

and the source of light, you can perform the following activity.

Activity 12.3

Aim : To know how the size of a shadow varies on changing the distance
between the object and the source of the light.

Materials Required: Take an opaque object and a source of light.
Procedure : • Turn off the light of the room. Place the object in front of a wall and

project light on the object. See the shadow of the object on the wall.
• Now move the source of light near the object and again notice the
shadow of the object.

Observation : You will observe that the size of the shadow changes on changing the

distance between the object and the source of light.
Shadow Shadow
Source Source
Object Object

Screen Screen

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