Shadows

Front

What is a shadow?

Back

A shadow is a dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

Front

What factors affect the size of a shadow?

Back

The size of a shadow is affected by the position of the light source, the distance of the object from the surface, and the shape of the object.

Front

How does the position of the sun affect shadows during the day?

Back

As the sun moves across the sky, the length and direction of shadows change. In the morning, shadows are long and point west; at noon, they are shorter and point north; in the evening, they lengthen again and point east.

Front

What time of day do shadows tend to be the longest?

Back

Shadows tend to be the longest in the early morning and late afternoon.

Front

What time of day do shadows tend to be the shortest?

Back

Shadows tend to be the shortest around noon when the sun is highest in the sky.

Front

How does the height of an object affect its shadow?

Back

Taller objects cast longer shadows than shorter objects when the light source is at the same angle.

Front

What is the relationship between the angle of the sun and the length of shadows?

Back

The lower the angle of the sun, the longer the shadow; the higher the angle, the shorter the shadow.

Front

What happens to shadows on a cloudy day?

Back

On a cloudy day, shadows are less defined and may appear lighter or disappear altogether due to diffused light.

Front

How can you tell the direction of the sun using shadows?

Back

You can tell the direction of the sun by observing the direction in which shadows are cast; shadows point away from the sun.

Front

What is the effect of moving closer to a light source on the size of a shadow?

Back

Moving closer to a light source makes the shadow larger and more defined.