Can we see in the dark?
Many of us think we can see in the dark because there is always some light around us. Light from a clock, television or streetlights.

Task

What you will need.
A reading book
Torch
A dark room.

What to do.
Take your reading book and torch into the cupboard. Do not switch on the torch! Close the door and try to read your book. What happened? Switch the torches on one at a time. Does it become easier to read your book?

Conclusion
Can your eyes see without a light switched on?

Can you make shadows?

What you will need
Torch or other source of light
Paper screen or wall
Objects made of different materials.

What to do
Find out what kind of materials block the light to make a shadow.
Write about the experiment and put your results in a table.
Draw a labelled diagram.

Conclusion.
Some of the objects will have formed shadows and some not.
Can you sort the objects into these categories or groups opaque, transparent, translucent?

Can you see in the dark?
Make a dark box and challenge your friend to see in the dark.

What you need.
A shoebox or a box with a lid
Coloured pencils or pens Tin foil
Scissors

What you need to do.
Make a very small hole in the side of the box with the scissors.
Take a coloured pencil and draw 2 or 3 small shapes on the inside of the box.
Put the lid on firmly. Now give the box to your partner, tell them to look through the hole in the side of the box.
Can they tell you which shapes you have drawn?
Try again using small pieces of tin foil - is this easier to see?

Result
Was it easy to see in the dark box? What would happen if you cut another hole in the box?