Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region IX, Zamboanga Peninsula
DIVISION OF ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE
Manukan I District
Learning Activity Sheet
Grade 11 – Physical Science - Q4 Week 2
Name ________________________________ Grade _______________________ Score ___________
Subject __Physical Science________________ Teacher ______________________ Date ____________
Type of Activity : Concept Notes/Individual
Lesson/Topic: Dual Nature of Light
Learning Target(s): Describe how the propagation of light, reflection, and refraction are explained by the wave model and
particle model of light.
Reference(s): Physical Science Quarter 4 – Module 2

Reflection and Refraction explained by the Wave and Particle Nature of Light
Reflection and refraction are phenomena that are well-explained
by the behaviors of light. When a source emits light, its dual property can
be observed in different circumstances. Light, as waves, spread in all
directions when emitted. Upon impacting a smooth, specular surface,
such as a mirror, these waves bounce off or reflect according to the arrival
angles. The waves turn back to front as they reflect producing a reversed
image.
On the other hand, light can also arrive at the mirror surface as a
stream of particles. Since these are very tiny, a huge number are involved
in a propagating light beam. Upon arriving a smooth surface, the particles
bounce off in different points so their order in the beam is reversed
resulting to a reversed image.
A beam of light undergoes refraction when it travels
between two media with different refractive indices. Light, as
waves, changes direction upon passing from first medium to second
medium. A small portion of each angled wavefront should impact
the second medium before the rest of the front reaches the interface.
This part will travel along the second medium while the rest of the
waves is still travelling in the first medium. Movement will be
slower through the second medium due to higher refractive index.
Figure 2 Since the wavefronts are travelling at different speeds, light will
bend into the second medium, thus, changing the angle of
propagation.
Refracting particles of light should also change direction upon passing between two media. It is suggested in this
theory that a special force directed perpendicular to the interface acts to change the speed of the particles as they enter the
second medium, resulting to bending of light particles. Reflection produces different types of images depending on what
kind of surface light strikes on. Usually, the study on images is carried out using mirrors as the reflecting surface. Mirrors
can be palnar, concave, or convex.
Plane mirrors consist of perfectly flat surface with no distortions and reflect 100% of the light that strikes them
back at a predictable angle.
Photon Concept of Light
In 1900s, Sir Isaac Newton popularized the notion that light consists of particles. Particles of light are concentrated
bundles of electromagnetic energy. Atoms do not emit or absorb light continuously but do so in chunks called quanta. A
quantum or packet of light is called photon. Each photon has an amount of energy. The amount of Energy(E) depends on
the frequency of light(f). Hence the equation E=hf.
Einstein use this concept in his theory of photoelectric effect. When light hits a metal, there is ejection of
electrons, and this is called Photoelectric effect. There is collisions between photons and electrons when light hits the
metal. During the collision , photons give all their energy to the electrons and disappear. Thus, an electron emitted from
the metal surface exposed to light receives its energy from a single photon. When intensity of light is increased more
photons fall on the metal surface per unit of time resulting in more electrons being emitted. The greater the intensity of
light, the greater is the energy of each photon.
As you can see in figure below, red light is the region of the visible light with the longest wavelength (620-780
nm) and with lowest frequency; hence has the lowest energy. Because of its low energy, red light is considered as “safe
light” and ideally used in photographic dark rooms. This is because photosensitive materials used in printing are not
photosensitive to red and does not cause “fogging” in prints which can be seen as blur or dark veil across the print.

Why do people get easily sunburned by ultraviolet (UV) light but not by visible light? Ultraviolet (UV) light has
shorter wavelength and higher frequency and shorter wavelength than visible light. Since it has high frequency, we can
expect that it also has high energy. Therefore, exposure to UV light can cause sunburn or even skin cancer (prolonged
 How do human eyes perceive colors? The human eye can perceive colors because of its cones cells. There are
three different cone cells present in the retina of our eyes, each contains photosensitive pigment to certain wavelength.
The L cone is photosensitive to red (long wavelength), the M cone is photosensitive to green (middle wavelength) and the
S cone is photosensitive to blue (short wavelength). However, the sensitivity ranges of the three cones sometimes overlap
specially when the light that stimulates them are near the middle of the visible light. Refer to figure 3 for the cone
sensitivity curve.
Suppose a 550 nm wavelength of light enters your eye, what color of the light will you perceive? If your answer is
green, you are certainly correct. If you will try to look at the figure 3, the light with 550 nm wavelength will stimulate the
green receptor more strongly than the red receptor and therefore, the your eyes will perceive green light.
However, when a light with a 580 nm wavelength enters your eyes, both the red and green receptors will be
strongly stimulated hence your eyes will perceive yellow color based on the additive color mixing as shown in the figure
below.

Activity 1. Complete Me!

Refer to the figures 1 & 2 to explain how reflection and refraction are explained by the wave and particle models
of light. Fill up with the appropriate word/s to give meaning to the paragraphs that follow. Choose from among the words
inside the box to complete each sentence.

Reflection and refraction are phenomena that are well-explained by the behaviors of light. When a source emits
light, its dual property can be observed in different circumstances.
Light, as waves, 1) __________ in all directions when emitted. Upon impacting a smooth, specular surface, such
as a mirror, these waves 2) __________ or reflect according to the arrival angles. The waves turn back to front as they
reflect producing a 3) __________ image.
On the otherhand, light can also arrive at the mirror surface as a stream of 4) ____________. Since these are very
tiny, a huge number are involved in a propagating light beam. Upon arriving a 5) __________ surface, the particles
bounce off in different points so their order in the beam is reversed resulting in a reversed image.
A beam of light undergoes 6) __________ when it travels between two media with different refractive indices.
Light, as waves, 7) __________ direction upon passing from first medium to second medium. A small portion of
each angled 8) ___________ should impact the second medium before the rest of the front reaches the 9) ___________.
This part will travel along the second medium while the rest of the waves is still travelling in the first medium. Movement
will be 10) __________ through the second medium due to higher refractive index. Since the wavefronts are travelling at
different speeds, light will 11) ___________ into the second medium, thus, changing the angle of propagation.
Refracting particles of light should also change direction upon passing between two media. It is suggested in this
theory that a special 12) _________ directed perpendicular to the interface acts to change the speed of the particles as they
enter the second medium, resulting in bending of light particles.

Assessment:
1. What color in the visible light spectrum contains the highest amount of energy?
a. red b. yellow c. green d. violet
2. What happens to the energy of photon when the wavelength increases?
a. It decreases c. remains the same
b. It also increases d. becomes doubled
3. Why is the red color always seen on top while blue is at the bottom of a rainbow?
a. Blue has a short wavelength so it moves faster and refracted the most by droplets of water in the atmosphere.
b. Blue has a logn wavelength so it moves faster and refracted the most by water droplets in the air.
c. Red has a short wavelength so it moves faster and refracted the least by droplets of water in the atmosphere.
d. Red has a long wavelength so it moves faster and refracted the least by water droplets in the air.
4. In what ways can light’s behaviour be described?
a. Curve linear motions c. waves and particles
b. Projectile motion d. waves and shadows
5. What are knocked off when light photons strike metal surfaces?
a. electrons b. neutrons c. positrons d. protons

Parent’s Signature: _______________________________

Signature above Printed Name
Prepared by:
ODETTE JEANE V. RUBIN CHRYSTEE B. CEPRADO-LUMBERA CHRISTINE JAY O. EISMA
Teacher II Teacher II Teacher II

Quality Assurance Checked: Noted:

ZOSIMO A. DIONALDO EPIFANIO GABAME E. PIEDAD, EMD
Master Teacher I School Officer-In-Charge

Answer Key:

Activity 1
1. spread
2.bounce off
3. reversed
4. particles
5. smooth
6. refraction
7. changes
8. wavefront
9. interface
10. slower
11. bend
12. force

Assessment
1. D
2. A
3. D
4. C
5. A