Review Material for the Light Test

Review Questions

Review Questions Key

Finally about 20% of the unit test will be about how scientists understand the nature of light.  We have not only investigated the particle and wave models we have looked at how experiments have caused our understanding of light to switch models.  This document summarizes some of the major observations and experiments we have considered and identifies which model they support more strongly.

Spring Break Homework

Over spring break please watch the video in the link below, play with the simulation (also linked) and answer the 9 questions.  Bring your answers to class.  They will be used in a discussion that requires your preparation. I will check them for completion at the beginning of the activity.

Link to Spring Break Homework

The video is one from a series of 6 created in the 80's about the nature of light.  While the effects are poor by today's standards, the information and what they show about how the scientific understanding develops is good.  The user at the link below has uploaded many old science videos.  The six videos in the wave/particle series on light are at the very bottom of his list.

Link to Videos

Finally, on the first block day after Spring Break the class will engage in a Socratic Seminar on some challenging questions about the nature of light.  The following link to an alternative assignment is required for people who miss that day.

Seminar Make Up Assignment

Lab: The Particle Model for Light

Here is the prompt for the lab report.

Write a  two paragraph conclusion for the lab.  It should focus on the plausibility of light being made of particles and show logical reasoning based on the results of our lab.  You may want to start it with one of the sentences below.

The results of this lab allow me to state that there is evidence that light could be a particle, because…

The results of this lab allow me to state that there is evidence that light probably isn’t a particle, because…

The results of this lab do not allow me to state that there is evidence that light is a particle or isn’t a particle, because… In order to have had more useful data, I would have needed to …

The second paragraph should propose a further test you could perform on either particles or light to confirm or deny the possibility that light is made of speeding “photon” particles.  It would be great if it was an experiment that you could actually perform in the classroom, but it is probably more realistic that it is simply an experiment that people could perform assuming that they had better equipment than we do.

This is not a research project.  I don't expect a historical or established experiment.  In class we listed a number of assumptions necessary to make a particle model for light workable.  Some of these were assumptions about light.  Some were assumptions about the necessary particles.  Focus on one of these assumptions and imagine/invent a test that probes its validity. 

In addition to the conclusion, please include a screen shot of your data table and graph.

	8-10	5-7	0-4
Logic/Conclusion/Analysis	Explanation linking data to conclusion is logical and well expressed.	Conclusion is not strongly linked to the data.  (Data missing.)	Conclusion is unclear or not consistent with the data.
Proposed Procedure	Proposed experiment would add insight to the nature of light, fits the criteria of the assignment, and meaningful explanation of how to interpret the data is provided.	Proposed experiment could provide insight into the nature of light, but experiment or how to interpret it is not clear.  Or experiment doesn’t fit criteria (probably was researched rather than imagined).	Proposed experiment wouldn’t provide insight into the nature of light, or proposed explanation is contrary to a logical interpretation.

Refraction Lab

Here's the Link to the Refraction Lab Report Description.
Please include it in your normal Lab Report Document.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-knh8aRX4Hr7FplCFDqN1e7nJbI_9q7ftO1FxGCk2Gs/edit?usp=sharing