Q&A for How to Prove That Light Travels in a Straight Path

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How do you teach students about light?

Chris Hasegawa, PhD
Retired Science Professor & Dean
Dr. Chris Hasegawa was a Science Professor and the Dean at California State University Monterey Bay. Dr. Hasegawa specializes in teaching complex scientific concepts to students. He holds a BS in Biochemistry, a Master’s in Education, and his teaching credential from The University of California, Davis. He earned his PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from The University of Oregon. Before becoming a professor, Dr. Hasegawa conducted biochemical research in Neuropharmacology at the National Institute of Health. He also taught physical and life sciences and served as a teacher and administrator at public schools in California, Oregon, and Arizona.

Chris Hasegawa, PhD

Retired Science Professor & Dean

Expert Answer

Teach them by sending light through different pairs of glasses! Then, observe what happens as the light goes through. This might inspire your students to ask more questions about light and vision.

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What does the experiment prove about how light travels?

Community Answer

It proves that it travels in a straight line as the title of the article says.

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How do I demonstrate the recombining of colors of the spectrum into white light?

Community Answer

Pass a light through a prism to disperse the colors, then pass the dispersed light through an upside down prism to recombine the colors.

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Does light travel in a straight line in vacuum?

Community Answer

Yes, even in vacuum, the rays of light will travel in a straight line, as vacuum does not affect the traveling of light.

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Why do only opaque objects have shadows?

Community Answer

This is because for transparent objects, the light will pass through. However, for opaque objects, the light cannot seep through, so it goes around and forms a shadow where there is no light.

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Why does oil stay above the water?

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Community Answer

Oil is non-polar and water is polar. So oil doesn't dissolve in water. Due to the density difference, oil being less dense than water, it floats in water.

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