Light and Sound
Each subtopic includes About section, revision page link, 10 preview questions, and practice CTAs.
Light sources and darkness
SubtopicLight sources and darkness under Light and Sound for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Which of these is a light source that uses electricity to glow?
A.A light bulb
B.A piece of paper
C.A rock
D.A wooden bowl
- 2.
What happens if we block all the light from entering a room?
A.The room gets warmer
B.The room gets darker
C.The room gets brighter
D.The room gets louder
- 3.
Which of these is a natural source of light often seen in the woods at night?
A.A flashlight
B.A glow-worm
C.A street light
D.A car headlight
- 4.
Which of these is a light source that is dangerous to touch because it is very hot?
A.A glow stick
B.A fire
C.A reflective vest
D.A smartphone screen
- 5.
Look at the classification flowchart below. Which of these objects would be correctly classified under 'Group Y'?
A.A lightning bolt
B.A lit birthday candle
C.A shiny silver spoon
D.A glowing campfire
- 6.
Look at the diagram showing how a person sees a toy. To see the object, light must travel in a specific sequence. Which of the following describes the correct path?
A.Path 2 then Path 1
B.Path 1 then Path 2
C.Path 1 only
D.Path 2 only
- 7.
In a dark forest at night, which of these would help you see the path most clearly?
A.A black hat
B.A mirror
C.A battery-powered lantern
D.A wooden stick
- 8.
If the Earth were to be covered in a layer of perfectly transparent glass, what would happen to the shadows cast by the Sun?
A.They would disappear
B.They would stay the same because the glass lets light through to hit objects
C.They would turn into light sources
D.They would become twice as large
- 9.
Why can we see a beam of light from a projector in a smoky room but not in a clean room?
A.Smoke is a light source
B.The smoke particles reflect light into our eyes
C.The projector only works when it is smoky
D.The smoke absorbs the light and makes it visible
- 10.
If you are in a room with a lamp, a mirror, and a chair, which object is giving out its own light?
A.The chair
B.The mirror
C.The lamp
D.All of them
Download the worksheet for Light and Sound - Light sources and darkness to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
How shadows are formed and changed
SubtopicHow shadows are formed and changed under Light and Sound for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Why is the shadow of a person tall in the early morning?
A.Because the Sun is low in the sky
B.Because people are taller in the morning
C.Because the ground is flat
D.Because the air is colder
- 2.
Which of these best describes what a shadow is?
A.A reflection of an object
B.An area where light cannot reach because an object is in the way
C.A dark painting on the ground
D.A twin that only comes out in the sun
- 3.
If a shadow is being cast on the floor by a ceiling light, and you move the object higher (closer to the light), what happens to the shadow?
A.It gets smaller
B.It gets bigger
C.It disappears
D.It stays the same
- 4.
Can you have a shadow without a light source?
A.Yes, in the dark
B.No, light is required to be blocked
C.Yes, if the object is black
D.Only if it is very cold
- 5.
A student stands in the middle of a room with one light bulb on the ceiling. As they walk towards a corner, their shadow...
A.Stays directly under them.
B.Moves away from the center of the room.
C.Disappears as they move.
D.Points towards the light bulb.
- 6.
If you hold your hands in different shapes (like a bird or a dog) in front of a light, you are creating...
A.Reflections
B.Silhouettes
C.Light beams
D.Rainbows
- 7.
Which of these would be the best way to make a shadow disappear without moving the object?
A.Turn off the light source.
B.Use a brighter light source.
C.Move the wall further away.
D.Paint the object white.
- 8.
If you hold a flat square piece of paper at an angle to a light source, why is the shadow not a perfect square?
A.Because the light travels in curves.
B.Because the paper is translucent.
C.Because the angled paper blocks a different shape of the light path.
D.Because the wall is not flat.
- 9.
A shadow is formed on a screen. If an additional, identical light source is placed right next to the first one, what happens to the shadow?
A.It becomes twice as dark.
B.It may develop a lighter area (penumbra) around a dark center.
C.It disappears because of the extra light.
D.It turns into a reflection.
- 10.
During an experiment, a shadow's length is measured every hour. If the length goes from to to , what is happening to the light source?
A.The light source is moving lower toward the ground.
B.The light source is moving higher above the object.
C.The light source is being turned off slowly.
D.The light source is moving further away horizontally.
Download the worksheet for Light and Sound - How shadows are formed and changed to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Reflective materials
SubtopicReflective materials under Light and Sound for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Which of these surfaces is best for a disco ball to reflect light around a room?
A.Tiny flat mirrors
B.Small pieces of sponge
C.Little squares of cloth
D.Bumpy pieces of clay
- 2.
If you place a mirror in front of a clock, the reflection will look:
A.Exactly the same
B.Backwards (reversed)
C.Upside down
D.Completely black
- 3.
Which of these describes a 'dull' surface?
A.A surface that reflects light very well
B.A surface that does not reflect light well
C.A surface that produces its own light
D.A surface that you can see through
- 4.
What do we call the path light takes from a source to a reflector?
A.A light ray
B.A light tunnel
C.A light shadow
D.A light bounce
- 5.
If you want to see your own back while standing in front of a mirror, what do you need?
A.A second mirror
B.A stronger light source
C.A magnifying glass
D.A transparent screen
- 6.
Which of these would be most difficult to see in a completely dark room, even if you have a flashlight?
A.A large mirror
B.A white sheet
C.A piece of clear glass
D.A shiny silver trophy
- 7.
When you use a mirror to bounce sunlight onto a wall, what are you doing to the light?
A.Creating it
B.Reflecting it
C.Absorbing it
D.Breaking it
- 8.
If you are in a brightly lit room and you look at a red apple, why does the apple look red?
A.The apple creates its own red light.
B.The apple reflects the red part of the white light and absorbs the other colors.
C.The apple turns all light into shadows.
D.The apple is a tiny mirror that only shows red objects.
- 9.
A student looks into a convex mirror (one that curves outward like the back of a spoon). How will their reflection look compared to a flat mirror?
A.It will look exactly the same.
B.The reflection will be upside down and blue.
C.The reflection will look smaller and cover a wider area.
D.The reflection will disappear because light cannot reflect off curves.
- 10.
Which of these is true about how light travels and reflects?
A.Light only reflects off things that are already hot.
B.Light travels in straight lines until it hits an object and bounces or is absorbed.
C.Light curves around shiny objects so it doesn't hit them.
D.Light reflection only happens during the daytime.
Download the worksheet for Light and Sound - Reflective materials to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Production of sound through vibrations
SubtopicProduction of sound through vibrations under Light and Sound for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Which of the following is true about all sounds?
A.They are all pleasant to hear
B.They are all caused by vibrations
C.They all come from animals
D.They all travel at the same speed as light
- 2.
Why does a slammed door make a loud noise?
A.The door and frame vibrate strongly
B.The door turns into a gas
C.The door gets colder
D.The door changes shape forever
- 3.
When a cat purrs, you can feel its chest moving. This movement is called:
A.Vibration
B.Evaporation
C.Condensation
D.Reflection
- 4.
What is the primary thing needed to start a sound?
A.A vibration
B.A battery
C.A dark room
D.A mirror
- 5.
A student noticed that a ringing phone on a wooden table sounded louder than when it was held in their hand. Why?
A.The phone gets bigger on the table
B.The table also vibrates, making the sound louder
C.The wood is very soft
D.The hand stops the phone from working
- 6.
If you want to make a sound on a violin, what must you do to the strings?
A.Make them vibrate with a bow
B.Keep them as still as possible
C.Cool them down with ice
D.Cover them with thick paper
- 7.
When you hum a song, where can you best feel the vibrations in your body?
A.Your knees
B.Your elbows
C.Your throat
D.Your toes
- 8.
If you hold a seashell to your ear, you hear a sound like the ocean. What are you actually hearing?
A.The sound of the ocean trapped inside the shell from the beach.
B.The sound of your own blood vibrating in your ear, reflected by the shell.
C.The shell vibrating because it is hollow and empty.
D.The wind blowing across the ridges of the shell.
- 9.
How does the size of a bell affect the pitch of the sound it makes when it is struck?
A.A larger bell vibrates faster, creating a higher pitch.
B.A larger bell vibrates slower, creating a lower pitch.
C.A smaller bell has more metal, so it vibrates slower.
D.Size only affects the volume, not the pitch.
- 10.
A scientist measures the sound of a drum in a very hot room and a very cold room. They notice the sound travels slightly faster in the hot room. This is because:
A.Hot air is heavier and pushes the sound.
B.Particles in hot air move faster and can pass on vibrations more quickly.
C.Cold air freezes the vibrations so they cannot move.
D.There is more oxygen in hot air for the sound to use.
Download the worksheet for Light and Sound - Production of sound through vibrations to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Changing pitch and volume
SubtopicChanging pitch and volume under Light and Sound for Grade 3 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
What is the main difference between a scream and a whisper?
A.The pitch only
B.The volume only
C.The color of the sound
D.The direction of the sound
- 2.
If you want to create a high pitch using a rubber band, you should make it...
A.Thick and loose
B.Thin and tight
C.Thick and tight
D.Thin and loose
- 3.
Which of these would produce a sound with the lowest volume?
A.Dropping a feather on a pillow
B.Dropping a book on a wooden floor
C.Dropping a spoon in a sink
D.Dropping a coin on a sidewalk
- 4.
When you turn up the 'volume' on a television, what are you actually increasing?
A.The pitch of the speakers
B.The speed of the light
C.The size of the sound vibrations
D.The number of channels
- 5.
Which of these instruments produces a sound by vibrating a column of air?
A.A drum
B.A guitar
C.A flute
D.A piano
- 6.
In a library, you are told to 'lower your volume'. This means you should make your vibrations...
A.Faster
B.Slower
C.Smaller
D.Larger
- 7.
A student is playing with a plastic ruler. They want to make the sound 'higher'. What should they do?
A.Pull the ruler further down before letting go
B.Let go of the ruler more gently
C.Make the part of the ruler sticking out shorter
D.Make the part of the ruler sticking out longer
- 8.
If you replace the small bell on a bicycle with a giant church bell, how will the sound change?
A.The pitch will be much lower and the volume will likely be much higher.
B.The pitch will be much higher and the volume will be lower.
C.The pitch will be the same, but the volume will be higher.
D.The pitch will be much lower, but the volume will be the same.
- 9.
When a large truck drives past, you can feel the ground vibrate. This is an example of:
A.A high-pitched sound with low energy.
B.A low-pitched sound with high energy (volume).
C.A high-pitched sound with high energy.
D.A low-pitched sound with low energy.
- 10.
A student wants to lower the pitch of a rubber band guitar. What should they do?
A.Stretch the rubber bands tighter.
B.Use thinner rubber bands.
C.Use thicker rubber bands.
D.Pluck the rubber bands harder.
Download the worksheet for Light and Sound - Changing pitch and volume to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.