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Science: Elementary School: Grades 3, 4 and 5 Quiz - Light (Questions)

This Science quiz is called 'Light' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at elementary school. Playing educational quizzes is an enjoyable way to learn if you are in the 3rd, 4th or 5th grade - aged 8 to 11.

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Light, or illumination, is a form of energy that travels in waves, like sound. Light is a fascinating topic to investigate in science lessons. You can find different sources of light, such as a candle or the Sun. You can also study reflection by looking how mirrors affect light. Refraction is something else you can look at. Refraction is when light 'bends' as it passes through different materials like water or glass. The light we can see, which is called visible light, is part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The electromagnetic spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves and x-rays.

1. Which of these is not a source of light?
[ ] A candle flame
[ ] The Sun
[ ] The Moon
[ ] A torch
2. 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
3. How fast does light travel?
[ ] 120 kilometers per hour
[ ] 3,000 kilometers per hour
[ ] 3,000 kilometers per second
[ ] 300,000 kilometers per second
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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 color
[ ] It appears bent or broken
[ ] It disappears completely
7. There are forms of light which are invisible to the human eye. Which of these is an example?
[ ] Ultraviolet
[ ] Reflections
[ ] Dark matter
[ ] Starlight
8. Visible light contains many colors. Which of the following is not one of these colors?
[ ] Green
[ ] Yellow
[ ] Black
[ ] Red
9. Why does a green apple look green?
[ ] It absorbs green light, but reflects the other colors
[ ] It reflects green light, but absorbs all of the other colors
[ ] It absorbs green light, but transmits all of the other colors
[ ] 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
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Science: Elementary School: Grades 3, 4 and 5 Quiz - Light (Answers)
1. 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
2. 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
3. How fast does light travel?
[ ] 120 kilometers per hour
[ ] 3,000 kilometers per hour
[ ] 3,000 kilometers per second
[x] 300,000 kilometers per second
Light travels faster than anything else - huge distances in space are described as 'light years'. Light travels the 150,000,000 kilometers from the Sun to the Earth in about eight minutes - can you imagine how far it could travel in a year?
4. 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)
5. 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 colors, showing a 'rainbow' band of colors on the nearest white surfaces
6. 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 color
[x] It appears bent or broken
[ ] It disappears completely
This interesting effect is caused by the refraction of light in the water
7. 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
8. Visible light contains many colors. Which of the following is not one of these colors?
[ ] Green
[ ] Yellow
[x] Black
[ ] Red
Visible, or 'white' light does not include the color black. The colors 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
9. Why does a green apple look green?
[ ] It absorbs green light, but reflects the other colors
[x] It reflects green light, but absorbs all of the other colors
[ ] It absorbs green light, but transmits all of the other colors
[ ] It transmits all of the light
The color we see when we look at objects is the color that is reflected by that object - all other colors 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