Natural v. Artificial Light

Contributor: Meghan Vestal. Lesson ID: 11506

Does your lamp produce light the same as the sun does? Can you compare your flashlight to a lightning flash? Be a photographer for a day and discover the difference between natural and man-made light!

categories

Physics

subject
Science
learning style
Kinesthetic, Visual
personality style
Beaver
Grade Level
Middle School (6-8)
Lesson Type
Dig Deeper

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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  • What is the difference between light produced by fire and light produced by a flashlight (besides the fact that you can't toast marshmallows over a flashlight)?

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Tell your teacher or parent the differences between the types of light shown above.

  • Did you mention that firelight is produced naturally, and a flashlight beam is produced by a battery?

All light can be grouped into one of two categories: natural light and artificial light.

Natural light is light that is not produced by a man-made source. It is light that occurs naturally in nature. Examples of natural light include fire, sunlight, moonlight, fireflies, and stars.

  • Can you think of any other examples of natural light?

Tell your teacher or parent.

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Artificial light is light that is produced by a man-made source. For this reason, some people refer to artificial light as man-made light.

Artificial light is typically produced by household electricity or by a battery. Examples of artificial light include flashlights, wired lighting within your home, and the light from a television screen.

  • Can you think of any other examples of artificial light?

Tell your teacher or parent.

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Now that you know the two main classifications of light, move on to the Got It? section to practice identifying natural and artificial light.

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