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Science Launch G3 / Week 11 / Wednesday
3/6
Week 11 · Climates of the World

Wednesday

Flashlight sunlight test
// Why different places have different usual weather
⏱ about 15 min

Wednesday: Flashlight Sunlight Test

Rocket shines a flashlight on the floor. "Why does slanted light make a place cold?" he asks. "Light is light!"

Raven tilts his flashlight. The bright spot stretches out. "What do you notice now?"

Nova dims the room lights. "Let's trace the spots," she says. "Then we can compare."

Your investigation

The flashlight is a model of the Sun. The paper is a model of the ground.

You will compare straight light and slanted light.

  • A flashlight
  • Two sheets of white paper
  • A pencil
  • A ruler
  • A partner
Safety first
Never shine the flashlight into anyone's eyes.
Never look straight at the real Sun.
Keep the room bright enough to walk safely.
  1. Lay one sheet of paper flat on a table.
  2. Hold the flashlight straight down. Keep it one ruler length above the paper.
  3. Have your partner trace around the bright spot. Label it straight.
  4. Lay the second sheet down. Keep the flashlight the same distance away.
  5. Tilt the flashlight so it shines at a slant.
  6. Have your partner trace the new spot. Label it slanted.
  7. Compare the size and brightness of the two spots.
MAKE A PREDICTION
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Which spot do you think will be bigger?
Which spot do you think will look brighter?
SpotSize (small or big)Brightness (bright or dim)
Straight
Slanted
Which spot was bigger? Type straight or slanted.
WHY THIS EXERCISESlanted light spreads the same light over more space.
Model partDoes it match?
The straight spot is like sunlight near the equator.?
The slanted spot is like sunlight near the poles.?
The flashlight models the Moon.?
WHY THIS EXERCISESpread-out light heats each spot less. That is why the poles are cold.

From model to world

Earth is round, like a ball. So sunlight hits different places at different slants.

Near the middle, light hits straight on, like your small bright spot.

Near the top and bottom, light hits at a slant, like your big dim spot.

EXPLAIN THE MODEL
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Why did we keep the flashlight the same distance both times?
The big dim spot is most like which place?

Bright work, scientists! Tomorrow we look at wet places and dry places.

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