Year 7 - Science
How we see things
Sound, light and vision
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores sound and light waves, including frequencies, echoes, reflection, absorption, and the need for a medium for sound to travel. It also compares light and matter waves, investigates light transmission and colour, and examines wave properties and effects.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how we see objects around us using our eyes.
Key Notes
- Luminous objects give out light, non–luminous objects do not.
- All surfaces reflect light. Mirror–like surfaces reflect light in a regular way, other surfaces scatter light.
- For anything to be seen, light from it (either emitted or reflected) must enter the eye.
- Light enters the eye through a hole (the pupil) and is detected by the light–sensitive back surface (the retina).
- Beams of light can only be seen if the light hits something and reflects (or scatters) towards an eye.
Vocabulary To Learn
- luminous: Describes something that gives out light.
- non-luminous: Describes something that does not give out light.
- scatter: Surfaces that scatter light reflect light in many directions at once.
- pupil: The hole in the front of the eye that lets light into the eye.
- retina: The back surface of the eye that detects light.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Light only reflects off mirrors and shiny objects, and doesn't reflect off dull surfaces.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Luminous objects give out light, non–luminous objects do not. All surfaces reflect light. Mirror–like surfaces reflect light in a regular way, other surfaces scatter light.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'luminous'
Describes something that gives out light. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Light only reflects off mirrors and shiny objects, and doesn't reflect off dull surfaces. Correction: All surfaces reflect (some) light. Use ideas of reflected light to explain how we see all the objects around us.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 7 Science guide library.