Learn About Reflective Materials

Light is the reason that we can see!

Light is a form of energy that travels in a straight line, in waves.

Without light, we would have darkness all the time - that doesn't sound like much fun!

Darkness is just an absence of light - sometimes the night sky is completely dark, but when the moon appears, you can see a little more.

Try looking outside tonight - what can you see?

Humans cannot see very well in the dark because our eyes do not have special cells in them as some nocturnal animals have.

To help us see at night, we use light sources and reflective materials.

Light sources are objects that produce their own light. Can you think of anything that makes its own light?

That's right! The Sun, a lamp or night-light, street lights and stars are all light sources because they make their own light.

Reflective materials are materials that are smooth, shiny and flat.

A shiny, flat surface is the best for reflecting the light beams or waves that travel in a straight line.

These jackets all belong to emergency service workers - these are people such as police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

Why do you think they all have reflective strips on their coats?

It's because they need to be seen at night time or in dark places.

Firefighters might go into a building where the lights have gone out. Using their torches (light source) and reflective coats, they can see each other better in the dark, and keep everyone safe.

Police officers and paramedics often work on the roads and at night time, so wearing these bright coats with reflective materials means the lights from cars on the road makes them extra visible in the dark.

We need to be able to spot emergency service workers because they are the people who help us if there is a problem.

In this activity, we are going to be practising using our scientific vocabulary and thinking about the uses of reflective materials.

Let's go!