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Light travels in straight lines. When light reaches a mirror, it reflects off the mirror’s highly reflective surface and keeps on going straight.

Light It Up! Light Pathways

Have a go at shining a torch on a mirror in a dimly lit room. Can you

control how the light reflects off it?

Now have a go at this investigation in which you will try to light up a pathway in the dark for Lego people to follow and find each other.

Equipment: • A torch• Small mirrors (up to three)• Modelling Clay• Whiteboard• Whiteboard pen• Two Lego people or counters

The angle at which the light hits the mirror changes the angle at which the light reflects off of it.

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Method: 1. On a whiteboard with a whiteboard pen, draw out a pathway with a corner.

Place your Lego people at each end of the pathway. 2. Position your mirror on the corner of your

pathway. Angle it in a way that you think will reflect the light from a torch positioned by one Lego person along the pathway to the other Lego person. Secure your mirror in place using a ball of modelling clay.

3. Close the curtains or blinds in the room. Lower or turn off the lights so the room is dim.

4. Place your torch by one Lego person and turn it on. 5. Change the angle of your mirror until you are

successful in lighting up the pathway. 6. Turn the lights back on. Erase your pathway and

draw a new pathway with two corners. Position two mirrors on the corners of your pathway and repeat the investigation.

7. If you’re up for the challenge – try the investigation again with three corners and mirrors!

Conclusion

To be successful with this task, I had to

If someone else were doing this investigation, I would advise them to

Do you have any further questions about how light reflects? How could you investigate this?

Mirror held in place by modelling clay