KS2 Science Quiz: Explore the Wonders of Light

Science Quiz - Light (Questions)

In KS2 Science, kids explore the wonders of light. This quiz dives into light's cool parts - sources, travels, and reflections.

Light is like energy waves, just like sound! Imagine studying candles and the Sun as light sources. Mirrors play with light, showing reflection. Refraction is when light bends in water or glass. Visible light, what we see, is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, a fancy name for cool waves like radio and microwaves.

What lights up your world? Can you find materials that bounce light? Test your light smarts with this fun KS2 Science quiz!

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Which of these is not a source of light?

[ ]	A candle flame
[ ]	The Sun
[ ]	The Moon
[ ]	A torch

Imagine a candle flame. Light from the candle flame travels in which direction?

[ ]	In arcs
[ ]	In straight lines
[ ]	In random lines
[ ]	All of the above

Approximately, how fast does light travel?

[ ]	120 kilometres per hour
[ ]	3,000 kilometres per hour
[ ]	3,000 kilometres per second
[ ]	300,000 kilometres per second

Light travels slightly more slowly through air than through space. It is slowed down a little bit more by glass and which of the following?

[ ]	Metal
[ ]	Water
[ ]	Concrete
[ ]	Wood

How will a beam of light shining on a glass prism behave?

[ ]	It will be refracted
[ ]	It will be completely reflected
[ ]	It will be completely absorbed
[ ]	It will not be changed at all, instead being perfectly transmitted

If you half fill a clear glass with water and place a straw in the glass, how does the straw appear when you look at it carefully?

[ ]	It appears normal
[ ]	It seems to change colour
[ ]	It appears bent or broken
[ ]	It disappears completely

There are forms of light which are invisible to the human eye. Which of these is an example?

[ ]	Ultraviolet
[ ]	Reflections
[ ]	Dark matter
[ ]	Starlight

Visible light contains many colours. Which of the following is not one of these colours?

[ ]	Green
[ ]	Yellow
[ ]	Black
[ ]	Red

Why does a green apple look green?

[ ]	It absorbs green light, but reflects the other colours
[ ]	It reflects green light, but absorbs all of the other colours
[ ]	It absorbs green light, but transmits all of the other colours
[ ]	It transmits all of the light

10.

A submarine's periscope allows someone on the boat to see objects that are above the water. How is this possible?

[ ]	Light reflecting off the object curves as it enters the periscope
[ ]	Light reflecting off the object is transmitted as it enters the periscope
[ ]	Mirrors within the periscope reflect the light, enabling it to change direction
[ ]	Periscope is another name for window

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - What is light?

Science Quiz - Light (Answers)

Which of these is not a source of light?

[ ]	A candle flame
[ ]	The Sun
[x]	The Moon
[ ]	A torch

The Moon does not produce any light - it only reflects the light of the Sun

Imagine a candle flame. Light from the candle flame travels in which direction?

[ ]	In arcs
[x]	In straight lines
[ ]	In random lines
[ ]	All of the above

Light always travels in straight lines - we know this because a beam of light cannot curve around an object. If you hold a book between your eyes and the candle flame, you will not be able to see the flame - its light cannot travel through or around the book

Approximately, how fast does light travel?

[ ]	120 kilometres per hour
[ ]	3,000 kilometres per hour
[ ]	3,000 kilometres per second
[x]	300,000 kilometres per second

Light travels faster than anything else - huge distances in space are described as 'light years'. Light travels the 150,000,000 kilometres from the Sun to the Earth in about eight minutes - can you imagine how far it could travel in a year?

Light travels slightly more slowly through air than through space. It is slowed down a little bit more by glass and which of the following?

[ ]	Metal
[x]	Water
[ ]	Concrete
[ ]	Wood

Metal, concrete and wood are opaque materials that do not transmit light (let light pass through them)

How will a beam of light shining on a glass prism behave?

[x]	It will be refracted
[ ]	It will be completely reflected
[ ]	It will be completely absorbed
[ ]	It will not be changed at all, instead being perfectly transmitted

When a beam of light shines on a glass prism, the light is refracted into its different colours, showing a 'rainbow' band of colours on the nearest white surfaces

If you half fill a clear glass with water and place a straw in the glass, how does the straw appear when you look at it carefully?

[ ]	It appears normal
[ ]	It seems to change colour
[x]	It appears bent or broken
[ ]	It disappears completely

This interesting effect is caused by the refraction of light in the water

There are forms of light which are invisible to the human eye. Which of these is an example?

[x]	Ultraviolet
[ ]	Reflections
[ ]	Dark matter
[ ]	Starlight

Ultraviolet (UV) light is visible to some insects and animals. Bumblebees can see UV light, for example

Visible light contains many colours. Which of the following is not one of these colours?

[ ]	Green
[ ]	Yellow
[x]	Black
[ ]	Red

Visible, or 'white' light does not include the colour black. The colours of visible light are those of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). Objects look black when they absorb all of the light shining on them

Why does a green apple look green?

[ ]	It absorbs green light, but reflects the other colours
[x]	It reflects green light, but absorbs all of the other colours
[ ]	It absorbs green light, but transmits all of the other colours
[ ]	It transmits all of the light

The colour we see when we look at objects is the colour that is reflected by that object - all other colours are absorbed

10.

A submarine's periscope allows someone on the boat to see objects that are above the water. How is this possible?

[ ]	Light reflecting off the object curves as it enters the periscope
[ ]	Light reflecting off the object is transmitted as it enters the periscope
[x]	Mirrors within the periscope reflect the light, enabling it to change direction
[ ]	Periscope is another name for window

Modern submarines have replaced mirrors with prisms which can also magnify the reflections