Lesson 9.
Light Intensity
Learning Competency
At the end of this lesson, the given DepEd learning
competency should be met by the students.
Explain color and intensity of light in terms of its wave
characteristics (S7LT-IIIf-10).
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to
do the following:
● Determine the nature of light.
● Infer that the brightness of light is affected by the
distance of the source from an observer.
In the last lesson,
you learned about
about waves,
specifically, about
sound waves.
Waves, as you
have known, can
be described in
terms of
amplitude,
wavelength,
frequency, period,
and wave speed.
Thus, sound can
be described in
terms of these.
How about light?
As you would
know, we can
consider light as a
wave (aside from
its other nature).
Can we describe
light in the same
way as sound?
And also, if we can describe sound in terms of its volume, can we
have a similar description for light?
Try it!
Warm-Up
Light Gets Dimmer!
1. Place a flashlight on a flat
place (a table or on the
floor).
2. Place a black card near the
front of the flashlight. The
card should capture the
light coming from the
flashlight.
Try it!
Warm-Up
Light Gets Dimmer!
3. Repeat Step 2, but place the
card in a farther distance.
4. Observe the two scenarios
and answer the guide
questions.
Try it!
Warm-Up
Light Gets Dimmer!
1. What can you observe on the black card when it is placed in
front and near the flashlight?
2. What can you observe on the black card when it is placed
farther from the flashlight?
3. How can you compare the light produced on the black card
when it is placed at different distances from the light
source?
Learn about It
The Nature of Light
• Different theories were proposed to describe the behavior
of light.
• In 1600s, light is believed to have a stream of particles
(called corpuscles).
Learn about It
The Nature of Light
• Newton believed that light
behaves like a particle.
• Christiaan Huygens
proposed that light behaves
like a wave.
Learn about It
The Nature of Light
• Max Planck proposed a
theory known as dual-
nature of light.
• Light behaves both as a
wave and as a particle. Light behaves both as a wave
and as a particle.
Learn about It
Characteristics of Light
• Light travels in a straight
path.
• Shadows are formed when
an object blocks the path of
light. Shadow is formed when an opaque
object blocks the beam of light.
Learn about It
Brightness of Light
• Brightness of light is called intensity.
• It is dependent on the source and distance from the source.
• The nature of light as a particle explains why its intensity
changes with distance.
Learn about It
Brightness of Light
• The particles of light are
called photons.
• Photons are closer at the
light source.
Considering light as a particle (thereby
consisting of photons) is what makes
solar panel technology possible.
Learn about It
Brightness of Light
Light particles spread out and becomes dimmer at a distance.
Key Points
● Light has dual-nature. It can behave as a wave and as a particle.
● Light travels the fastest in vacuum. It also travels in a straight line.
● Visible light is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be
seen by human eyes.
● The brightness of light is called intensity which is dependent on the
source and distance from the source.
Check Your Understanding
Fill in words/phrases on the blanks that will
make the statements correct.
1. Newton published that light is composed of a stream of __________.
2. Light particles are known as _________.
3. Christian Huygens proposed that light behaves like a _________.
4. Max Planck came up with a theory known as the _________-nature
of light.
5. The brightness of light is called ___________.
Bibliography
Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. 2012. University Physics, 13th Edition. Singapore:
Pearson Education
Hewitt, Paul G. 2015. Conceptual Physics, 12th Edition. Singapore: Pearson Education
David Halliday, et al. 2011. Fundamentals of Physics- 9th ed. Danvers: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cutnell, John D. and Johnson, Kenneth W. 2013. Introduction to Physics, 9th Edition. Singapore: John
Wiley & Sons
Faughn, Jerry S. and Raymond A. Serway. 2006. Serway’s College Physics, 7th Edition. Singapore:
Brooks/Cole
Pople, Stephen. 2007. Complete Physics. New York: Oxford University Press
