Question 1

What is light?

Accepted Answer

Light is a type of energy that lets us see things. It's made up of tiny particles called photons, and it travels very fast!

Question 2

Why is the sky blue?

Accepted Answer

The sky looks blue because of the way sunlight interacts with the air. The light from the sun gets scattered in all directions, and blue light is scattered more than other colors.

Question 3

How does a rainbow form?

Accepted Answer

A rainbow forms when sunlight passes through raindrops. The raindrops act like tiny prisms, bending the light and splitting it into different colors.

Question 4

Why do objects have color?

Accepted Answer

Objects have color because they reflect some colors of light and absorb others. The color we see is the color that is reflected.

Question 5

What is white light?

Accepted Answer

White light is a mix of all the colors of the rainbow. When all these colors combine, they look white to our eyes.

Question 6

Why are leaves green?

Accepted Answer

Leaves look green because they contain a pigment called chlorophyll, which absorbs most colors of light but reflects green light.

Question 7

What is a shadow?

Accepted Answer

A shadow is a dark shape that appears when an object blocks the path of light. Light can't go through the object, so it creates an area without light.

Question 8

Why do things glow in the dark?

Accepted Answer

Some things glow in the dark because they contain special materials that can absorb and store light energy. Later, they release this energy as light.

Question 9

How do mirrors work?

Accepted Answer

Mirrors work by reflecting light. When light hits a mirror, it bounces back, helping us see our reflection.

Question 10

What makes the sunset colors?

Accepted Answer

Sunset colors happen because the sun is low in the sky and its light has to pass through more air. This scatters the blue light and leaves us with red, orange, and pink colors.

Question 11

How do we see colors?

Accepted Answer

We see colors because our eyes have special cells called cone cells. These cells react to different wavelengths of light, allowing us to see different colors.

Question 12

Why does a prism create a spectrum?

Accepted Answer

A prism creates a spectrum by bending or refracting light. Different colors bend by different amounts, spreading out to form a rainbow of colors.

Question 13

What is a color wheel?

Accepted Answer

A color wheel is a circle with different colors on it. It helps us understand the relationships between colors, like which ones look nice together.

Question 14

How do sunglasses protect our eyes?

Accepted Answer

Sunglasses protect our eyes by blocking some of the sunlight. They are made with special lenses that reduce glare and filter harmful UV rays.

Question 15

Why do we need light to see?

Accepted Answer

We need light to see because light reflects off objects and enters our eyes. Without light, we can't see anything because there's nothing for our eyes to detect.

Question 16

What makes things shiny?

Accepted Answer

Things are shiny if they have smooth surfaces that reflect light well. When light hits, it bounces off evenly, making the object look shiny.

Question 17

Why does the moon appear to change colors sometimes?

Accepted Answer

The moon changes colors when seen through different amounts of Earth's atmosphere. More air can make it look orange or red, especially during a lunar eclipse.

Question 18

How is a laser different from a flashlight?

Accepted Answer

A laser is different from a flashlight because it produces a very focused beam of light. This beam is made of light waves that are very close together in a straight line.

Question 19

Why do black objects get hotter in the sun?

Accepted Answer

Black objects get hotter because they absorb more light and turn it into heat. They don't reflect very much light, so more energy stays in the object.

Question 20

What happens when light passes through water?

Accepted Answer

When light passes through water, it changes direction slightly, a process called refraction. This bending can create illusions like a straw looking bent in a glass of water.

The Science of Light and Color - 20 FAQs Explained Simply