Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Methods of Polarization
At this college physics department site, the polarization of light is explained and illustrated as well as the primary methods of polarization (scattering, reflection, and refraction).
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies
Mocomi: Reflection and Refraction of Light
What happens when a ball is thrown against a wall? This narrative illustrates how light is reflected or refracted in different circumstances.
Kidport
Kidport: Light
Did you know that light is a form of energy and always travels in a straight line? Discover some more interesting facts about light.
Synopsys
Synopsys: Optics for Kids: What Is Light?
An explanation of what light is and some of its properties.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Needing Illumination: Investigating Light
This is the first lesson of this unit to introduce light. In this lesson, students learn the five words that describe how light interacts with objects: "transparent," "translucent," "opaque," "reflection" and "refraction."
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Refraction and Ray Model of Light: The Critical Angle
Illustrated examples and interactive practice problems that introduce students to the concept of the critical angle, the angle of incidence that provides an angle of refraction of 90-degrees.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Total Internal Reflection
This physics department site provides a definition and explanation of the phenomenon of total internal reflection. Includes a diagram and an equation for calculating the critical angle for light approaching a surface.
Other
Easyphysics: Chapter 10 Light Waves
Learners investigate light waves. Some topics examined are reflection of light, illuminance, and refraction of light. The resource includes example problems with solutions and a chapter quiz.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Light and Optics
Rainbows and sunsets are called "atmospheric optics". They can be caused by light being absorbed, reflected, scattered, refracted, or diffracted by particles in the atmosphere. Learn all about different atmospheric optics along with...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Energy of Light
In this introduction to light energy, students learn about reflection and refraction as they learn that light travels in wave form. Through hands-on activities, they see how prisms, magnifying glasses and polarized lenses work. They also...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Light Scavengers
In this activity, students examine various materials and investigate how they interact with light. Students use five new vocabulary words (translucent, transparent, opaque, reflection and refraction) to describe how light interacts with...
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: Why Do Scientists Think That Light and Sound Are Waves?
Light travels as transverse waves and can travel through a vacuum. Sound travels as longitudinal waves and needs to travel through a solid, liquid or gas. Read about the properties of light and of sound, and learn the differences between...
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies
Mocomi: What Is Scattering of Light?
Do you know why the sky is blue? Article defines scattering and how it works. Explains the difference between the scattering of light and reflection or refraction.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Physics for Kids: Behavior of Light as a Wave
Kids learn about the behavior of light as a wave in the science of physics including reflection, refraction, and diffraction.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Reflection and Refraction
Reflection and refraction are explained with an experiment that uses a sheet of paper, cardboard, and other common materials.
My Science Site
My Science Site: The Light for Sight [Pdf]
This resource offers a hands-on activity for science teachers to teach about the eye and it's ability to see images. Also discusses refraction and reflection. This resource is in PDF form; requires Adobe Reader.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Reflection and Refraction Questions
This is a 10-question exercise/quiz pertaining to reflection and refraction.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: An Experiment With Light Rays and a Prism
This passage will test your knowledge on reflection and Refraction - Passage 2.
University of New South Wales (Australia)
University of New South Wales: School of Physics: Physclips: Geometrical Optics
Physiclips thoroughly presents geometrical optics concepts like rays, refraction, Snell's law, total internal reflection, dispersion, mirrors, and lenses with animations and film clips.
University of Maryland
Optics Highlights: The Telescope
Part of an anecdotal history of optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the invention of the telescope. Includes a short biographical sketch and discusses the work of Isaac Newton which focuses on his contribution...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Disappearing Glass Rods
In this activity, you will make a glass object disappear by eliminating the reflection from and the refraction by the glass object.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Refracting Telescope
Wikipedia provides detailed information on refracting telescopes, including an image, technical difficulties, and a hyperlinked list to info on notable refracting telescopes.
My Science Site
Optics: Energy and Control [Pdf]
A very comprehensive unit including topics such as light and its source, visible sources of light, transparency of objects and much more. Also offers a resource list, blackline masters, and expectation list, expectation summary and a...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Reflection and Mirrors: Optics Bench Interactive
Find out about the physics behind those fun-house mirrors. Students manipulate a virtual optics bench to explore the images formed by mirrors and lenses.