What is light?

Doc 1: Visible light is only one small portion of a family of waves called electromagnetic (EM) radiation. The entire spectrum of
these EM waves includes radio waves, which have very long wavelengths and both gamma rays and cosmic rays, which are at
the other end of the spectrum and have very small wavelengths. Visible light is near the middle of the Spectrum.

Doc 2: There are waves of energy and light moving all around us in the form of TV and audio transmissions, gamma radiation
from space, and heat in the atmosphere. Scientists call them all electromagnetic radiation. The waves of energy are called
electromagnetic (EM) because they have oscillating electric and magnetic fields. Scientists classify them by their frequency or
wavelength, going from high to low frequency (short to long wavelength). For a wave with a high frequency, it has a lot of
energy, so it could be a gamma ray or x-ray. If it has low frequency, it has less energy and could be a TV or radio wave.

Doc 3: All types of light move in wave-like patterns. In each wave pattern are high points and low points. The distance between
two high points, or low points, is called the wavelength. Scientists use the Greek letter lambda to describe that distance.
Depending on what type of light you are talking about, each type has a different lambda, or wavelength. All of the wavelengths of
light together are called the EM spectrum. For cyclical processes, such as rotation, oscillations, or waves, frequency is defined as a
number of cycles per unit time. In physics and engineering disciplines, such as optics, acoustics, and radio, frequency is usually
denoted by a Latin letter f or by the Greek letter ν (nu).

Doc 4 : The electromagnetic spectrum

Doc 5 : The visible light

Task : You are trying to explain to a classmate that “light”
isn’t only something we can see, but a much larger family
of waves.

In order to do so, you will explain your classmate what a

light is and emphasize on the different types of “light”.
 Item Points

La tâche est complètement remplie, tous les aspects du problème sont abordés. /2

L’ordre des notions est logique, la présentation est structurée. /2

Les éléments scientifiques sont suffisants et sont approfondis. Les explications sont claires et
/3
bien organisées, permettant à tout le monde de comprendre.

Qualité de la langue. /3

/10

The physics teacher asked me to explain light to you because you were absent last class. So as I am given to
understand, for you light is just the thing that makes you able to see. Well that’s just wrong. You see what you call
light is only a small category in the electromagnetic spectrum . The electromagnetic spectrum is the ranking of the
different electromagnetic radiations by wavelength or frequency we can rank them as such because light is
composed of little waves that are called electromagnetic radiations that’s where the name electromagnetic
radiations come from . The way it works is that the shortest wavelength a wave has the highest it’s frequency and
vice versa . This works like that because frequency and wavelength are two Sides of the same coin. The wave length
also called lambda is the length between two high points or two low points of the wave so essentially how long a
wave from the light is . frequency is how much waves have passed a defined point in a certain time frame( number
of cycles per unit time) we usually measure it in hertz so how many waves can pass in one second , and because all
electromagnetic waves have the same speed the speed of light if the electromagnetic wave is long less
electromagnetic waves will pass trough then if it was a small this can be demonstrated by the formula

So this electromagnetic spectrum has 9 different categories (……..) and you can see visible light right in the middle.
Visible light is itself classed into different categories these are called the colours , they work the same as the
electromagnetic spectrum just on a smaller scale. So the colour with the smallest wavelength and conincidentaly the
highest frequency is the colour violet and the colour with the longest wavelength so the lowest frequency is the
colour red , and that’s why the two category besides the visible night are named ultra-violet and infra-red. What is
important for you to understand is that, the fact that we’re only able to see visible light does not make it special it’s
just a category in all those that exist inside the electromagnetic spectrum

Wave
So Tom as I am given to understand . . So for you light is only described as how much you can see . So for you if
you’re in a dark environment there is no light . And if it’s sunny outside there is light . Well not only I’m going to
explain to you that light is not what allows us to see . It is what we see . But I am also going to explain to you on top
of that, that what you call light is only a small part of all the lights that exist .

So what you light is a category in the electromagnetic spectrum. The electromagnetic spectrum is the ranking of the
different electromagnetic radiations by wavelength or frequency . The way it works is that the shortest wavelength a
wave has the highest it’s frequency . This works like that because frequency and wavelength are two faces of the
same coin. The frequency is how much waves have passed in a certain time frame , and because all electromagnetic
waves have the same speed if the electromagnetic wave is long it will have a harder (time) in a given time of
executing a lot of wave through a certain point.

And the fact that we’re able to see this particular type of light doesn’t make it special. It juste means that we’re able
to see it .

So first light is not something coming out of a lightbulb or the sun , it’s a type of electromagnetic radiations that our
eyes can see. So without our eyes capability of perceiving these small electromagnetic magnetic radiations you
wouldn’t be able to see anything .Even if you’re outside in a sunny day . So not only that but light is not only what
makes you capable of perceiving colours it is the colours that you’re able to see

And then on top of that visible light is not the only C

So Timmy as I am am given to understand what you call light , is only the type of light that you can see . Well Timy
that’s just not true. The fact that you’re able to see what you call light doesn’t make it special .

You see visible light the thing that you call light Is only a category in a much larger …..the electromagnetic
spectrum ,The electromagnetic spectrum gathers all types of the electromagnetic waves . Because you see all light
and even visible light are formed from tiny waves that move at the speed of light. This electromagnetic spectrum is
classed by wavelength or frequency , these two measurements are for waves two sides of the same coin . Because
wavelength measures how long a wave is and frequency is
proposition subordonne conjonctive complétive .