Reflection, Absorption, and Transmission of Light Science Games

9 games

In this series of games, your students will learn about the electromagnetic spectrum and how light travels. The Reflection, Absorption, and Transmission of Light learning objective — based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts they drive home.

Concepts Covered

Light interacts with matter. Different materials can reflect, transmit, or absorb different amounts and wavelengths of light.

When electromagnetic waves transfer energy, they generate light. They are measured by their wavelength, frequency, and speed. For example, each color in the visible light spectrum — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet — represents a different wavelength and frequency.

Gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, infrared radiation, microwaves, radio waves, and visible light make up the electromagnetic spectrum. They all travel at the same speed — the speed of light — in a vacuum, but when they come into contact with matter, they slow down.

All objects reflect and absorb some light. Some also give off their own visible light, but most are visible because they reflect light into our eyes. An object’s color depends on which wavelengths of light it absorbs and which it reflects.

Some objects transmit light, meaning light passes through them. Opaque objects transmit little or no visible light, translucent objects transmit some, and transparent objects transmit almost all, which is why we can see through them.

Some objects that transmit visible light absorb other wavelengths of light. For example, sunglasses are designed to transmit visible light and absorb ultraviolet light, protecting your eyes.

A preview of each game in the learning objective is found below.

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Wave Interference - Waves Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Make waves with a dripping faucet, speaker, or laser. Adjust the frequency and amplitude, and observe the changes in the wave. Design experiments to measure wavelength and wave speed. Note: Students will automatically move through this simulation after 10 minutes of playtime.

Wave Interference - Interference Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Explore how a pair of wave sources create an interference pattern. Adjust the source frequency and separation, and determine how to change the interference pattern. Identify points of constructive and destructive interference by eye, and by using the detectors. Note: Students will automatically move through this simulation after 10 minutes of playtime.

Wave Interference - Slits Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Put up a barrier to see how the waves move through one or two slits, and discover the resulting interference pattern. Determine how to change the pattern by adjusting the slit width and separation. Predict the location of the interference maxima and minima, and verify your predictions. Note: Students will automatically move through this simulation after 10 minutes of playtime.

Light:House Estimated Duration: 20 minutes Learn how light is reflected, absorbed, and transmitted by bringing light back to a dark land. Players will learn in-game from tutors on how light interacts with mirrors, prisms, filters, opaque objects and transparent lenses. Gameplay takes the student through 14 levels where they must use their knowledge to direct light beams into darkened houses without waking the moths that have infested the land.

Laser Lab Simulator! 🤖📡🔋 Estimated Duration: 12 minutes Get ready for an exciting adventure in our futuristic virtual lab! Laser Lab Simulator is packed with mind-bending challenges and interactive experiment rooms that will keep you hooked. Grab your lab coat and dive into each room filled with cool tools like laser beams, filter lenses, mirrors, and more. Your mission? Use your skills to charge the laboratory batteries! Each level brings new puzzles that will test your brainpower and creativity. Can you master all the rooms and become the ultimate lab genius? Let’s find out!

Waves Intro - Light Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Make light waves with a laser, and discover what determines the color of light. Adjust the frequency and amplitude, and observe the changes in the wave. Design experiments to measure wavelength and wave speed. Note: Students will automatically move through this simulation after 10 minutes of playtime.

Wave Behaviors Estimated Duration: 3 minutes Educational video reviewing transmission, absorption, and reflection and how humans see color.

Newton Pool Estimated Duration: 15 minutes The game consists of hand-crafted levels where the player controls a white ball. The goal of each level is to get the white ball to the end of the level in as few moves as possible, while racking up points by bumping golden balls into obstacles on the way! The game does not have any instructional math content, it simply has math review questions spread throughout.

Galaxy Escape Estimated Duration: 20 minutes 10 Bright Monsters have been captured in space and they need your help to cross the galaxy jumping between platforms, finding them, and releasing them by correctly answering each question. Each monster that you release and unlock will be available to play with in the next level, in the search for the next monster. In your journey, you’ll be able to find power-ups, like ‘Double points’ and ‘Slow down’, which can be activated by finding gems, and their duration can be extended by correctly answering a question. Unlock and release the 10 different monsters and a spaceship along 10 different levels, while you make the most possible points.

Reflection, Absorption, and Transmission of Light Science Games

Concepts Covered

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