A- Light

Light is an electromagnetic wave which means it doesn’t need a medium in order to propagate.
It also travels in a straight path and has a speed of 299 792 458 meters per second. Light is a
form of energy made of photons. It behaves like a wave thus it has a wavelength, frequency
and amplitude. Its characteristics include intensity and color.

1. According to, Isaac Newton light behaves like a particle. Christian Huygens believed that light
behaves like a wave. Louie De Broglie asserted that light can be a particle and a wave. James
Clerk Maxwell proposed the electromagnetic theory of light among others.

2. Light intensity – It is the power of light. It is the quantity that measures the amount of light
illuminating a surface.

Luminous intensity – It is the amount of light that the objects produce. It is measured in terms
of candela.

Brightness – It is a qualitative expression of light intensity. It is the visual perception in which a

light source appears to be emitting light or a surface to be reflecting light.

Photometry – It is the science of measuring the intensity or brightness of light.

Dispersion – The phenomenon in which a prism separates white light into component colors.

Reflection – Reflection occurs when a ray of light bounces off a surface and changes direction.

Refraction - It is the bending of light when it passes from one transparent substance to another
at an angle. This is caused by a change in speed and direction of the light ray

Diffraction - It is defined as the bending of light around corners such that it spreads out and
illuminates areas where a shadow is expected.
B. Heat
Heat is the flow of thermal energy. It is an energy in transit. It is an energy that transfers from a
body with high temperature to a body with a lower temperature. It is the total energy of the
motion of molecules of a substance. The unit for heat is Joules.

Word Meaning:
Thermal Energy – This refers to the energy possessed by an object or system due to the
movement of particles within the object or the system.

Temperature – This refers to the relative hotness or coldness of an object. It is the measure of
the average energy of the motions of the molecules in the substance. It is measured by using a
thermometer.

Conduction – It is a method of heat transfer that takes place between objects that are in direct
contact with each other. It is most effective in solids.

Convection - It is a method of heat transfer through the circulation of liquid and gas. It is the
transfer of energy by the rising or sinking of matter due to density differences. It is most
effective in fluids.

Radiation – In this method of heat transfer, heat moves through empty space (outer space).
There is no medium like water, air, nor any solid material where heat can travel through. It is
the transfer of heat by means of electromagnetic waves.