Science 8

Light and Optics 

Unit Exam 
Name: __________________________________ Date: ___________________ 
 
GOOD LUCK!! 

General Outcome 1:​ ​Investigate the nature of light and vision; and describe the role of
invention, explanation and inquiry in developing our current knowledge /18

Light Sources – On each line, indicate whether the light source is: /5
A) Natural light source
B) Artificial light source

1. Star _____

2. Volcano _____

3. Light Bulb _____

4. Sun _____

5. Flash Light _____

Types of Light – On each line, indicated what type of light is being described. /5

A) incandescence
B) fluorescence
C) phosphorescence
D) chemiluminescence
E) bioluminescence

6. _______ Produced by living creatures

7. _______ Light is emitted after being exposed to, and removed from a source of light

8. _______ Released from a chemical reaction

9. _______ Emitted by hot objects

10. _______ Results from transformed ultraviolet energy

Science 8

11. Mona thinks she is seeing things. She tries to sleep at camp but is convinced
she sees a fairy that emits a pink light every once in a while as it flies. You tell
her some living creatures produce a special type of light called …

A) incandescence
B) fluorescence
C) chemiluminescence
D) bioluminescence

12. Which term describes the visible light given off by a chemical reaction?

A) incandescence
B) fluorescence
C) chemiluminescence
D) bioluminescence

13. Which of the following is ​NOT​ a

​ n example of a luminous object?

A) the Sun
B) the planets
C) a star
D) a candle

14. This device contains prisms that serve as plane mirrors.

A) telescope
B) microscope
C) camera
D) binoculars

15. Which of the following do ​NOT u

​ se lenses?

A) microscopes
B) windows
C) telescopes
D) magnifying glasses

16. Which of the following scientific advances was N

​ OT​ achieved by means of a
microscope?

A) observation of cell reproduction

B) observation of viruses
C) observation of distant galaxies
D) study of genetic make-up of cells
Science 8

17. What kind of telescope uses a convex lense as a light collector?

A) A reflecting telescope
B) A magnifying glass
C) A refracting telescope
D) The eyepiece lense

18. What kind of telescope uses a concave mirror as a light collector?

A) A reflecting telescope
B) A magnifying glass
C) A refracting telescope
D) The eyepiece lense

General Outcome 2:​ ​ Investigate the transmission of light, and describe its behavior using a
geometric ray model /26

Characteristics of different surfaces/objects – On each line, indicate whether each

surface/object is: /5

A. opaque
B. translucent
C. transparent

19.________ wood
20.________ frosted glass
21.________ aluminum foil
22.________ windshield in a car
23.________ plastic sandwich bag
Science 8

Reflection Diagram – chose from the list below and write the corresponding alphabet letter
on the appropriate blank in the diagram. /5

A) normal
B) angle of incidence
C) angle of reflection
D) incident ray
E) reflected ray

29. Cole is not sure why he feels hotter when he reads sitting under his desk light than
when he reads his textbook in his school classroom. He thinks it might have something to
do with the lighting fixtures. You suggest that the excess heat he feels may be due in part
to a(n):

A) incandescent light source

B) fluorescent light source
C) chemiluminescent light source
D) bioluminescent light source

30. A good example of an opaque object is…

A) the windshield of a car

B) a plastic sandwich bag
C) aluminum foil
D) a glass window

31. A good example of a translucent object is…

A) the windshield of a car

B) wax paper
C) aluminum foil
D) a glass window
Science 8

32. A good example of a transparent object is …

A) wax paper
B) frosted glass
C) plain white paper
D) plastic wrap

33. Which of the following best describes the term "ray"?

A) light that passes through any substance

B) a straight line that represents the path of a beam of light
C) light that is bent as it passes through a translucent object
D) an explanation based on observation of how light behaves

34. What is the ray model of light?

A) a drawing that uses the ray model to illustrate how light behaves
B) a straight line that represents the path of a beam of light
C) light that is bent as it passes through a translucent object
D) an explanation based on observation of how light behaves

35. How would you increase the size of the shadow on the screen?

A) move the solid objects closer to the light source

B) move the light source away from the solid objects
C) move the solid objects closer to the screen
D) decrease the size of the solid objects
Science 8

36. Which of the following is evidence that light travels in straight lines?

A) Glass is transparent.
B) Shadows form.
C) Candles give off light.
D) Car headlights point forward.

37. Jenna is playing pool. She is convinced she can sink the black ball in the side pocket.
You tell her to line up her cue because how she aims and hits the ball may help her win the
game. You tell her this because you know that according to the first law of reflection, t​ he
angle of incidence is equal to the

A) normal
B) reflecting ray
C) angle of reflection
D) reflecting surface

38. On a smooth plane mirror, if the angle of incidence is 30° then the angle of reflection is

A) 30°
B) 60°
C) 90°
D) none of the above

39. Reflection …

A) can be transformed into chemical energy, electrical energy, or thermal energy

B) is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another
C) allows no light to pass through it
D) occurs when light bounces off a surface
Science 8

40. The magician entertaining at your little brother's birthday party claims she can break a
pencil in half without physically breaking it. When you see her trick (shown here), you
realize it is an optical illusion based on ...

A) reflection
B) refraction
C) luminosity
D) normal

It is autumn, and the temperature at night is getting close to the freezing point. Hugo
realizes he should remove the goldfish from the pond in his backyard before the water
freezes. He attempts to scoop out the first fish with a net; however, even though he can
clearly see the fish in the water, he misses it. He infers that he missed because the light is
being refracted. (Use the following diagram for questions 41 and 42.)

41. What is causing the refraction?

A) The air and the water are at different temperatures.

B) The water is reflecting the light.
C) The air and the water have different densities.
D) The air is reflecting the light.

42. What is the result of the refraction of the light?

A) The fish is difficult to see.
B) The fish is where Hugo expects it to be.
C) The fish is able to see Hugo more easily.
D) The fish is not where it appears to be.

43. When light travels through materials that have

different densities, it bends. The new direction of the
light is known as

A) the angle of incidence

B) the angle of refraction
C) the angle of reflection
D) the angle of inflection
Science 8

44. Wavelengths can be determined by measuring

A) the height of a crest

B) the depth of a trough
C) the distance between two crests
D) the difference in height between a crest and a trough

General Outcome 3:​ ​Investigate and explain the science of image formation and vision, and
interpret related technologies /19

45. The image seen in a convex mirror, in comparison with the object, is always … ​(Hint**
think of a spoon)

A) smaller and upright

B) larger and upright
C) smaller and inverted
D) larger and inverted

46. Which of the following statements is true of an image seen in a plane mirror?

A) It is smaller than the object it reflects.

B) It is larger than the object it reflects.
C) It is the same size as the object it reflects.
D) It can be either larger or smaller than the object it reflects.

47. When an eye doctor aims a beam of light into your eye, part of the eye sends electrical
impulses to your brain. What is this part of the eye called?

A) retina
B) optic nerve
C) pupil
D) iris

48. After the lights have been shut off and then turned on again, Louis looks in a mirror at
his eyes. He notices that the dark dot in the center of each eye is smaller, and the colored
ring is more obvious. What is the colored part of the eye called?

A) retina
B) optic nerve
C) pupil
D) iris
Science 8

49. Name the opening of your eye through which light enters.

A) retina
B) optic nerve
C) pupil
D) iris

50. Name one instrument to which the human eye is often compared.

A) telescope
B) pair of binoculars
C) camera
D) microscope

51. To keep the eye from collapsing, the eyeball is filled with fluids. What old word
describes these fluids?

A) corneas
B) humours
C) retinas
D) lenses

52. Armand is in his late 40s. His eye condition is described in this diagram. What name
does the doctor give for this condition?

A) near-sightedness
B) far-sightedness
C) focusing
D) accommodation

53. Jerome is a 12-year-old Grade 8 student. Lately he has noticed that he has trouble
focusing on the letters and words on the chalkboard. He decides to visit the eye doctor to
get some advice. The doctor draws this diagram to show Jerome's eye condition. What
name does the doctor give for Jerome's condition?

A) near-sightedness
B) far-sightedness
C) lighting
D) accommodating
Science 8

54. The film in a camera and the _______________________ in an eye perform a similar
function.

A) retina
B) optic nerve
C) lens
D) iris

55. Examine the diagram of the eye

provided. Write the name of the part of the eye on the corresponding line. /9

a) ____________________________
b) ____________________________
c) ____________________________
d) ____________________________
e) ____________________________
f) ____________________________
g) ____________________________
h) ____________________________
i) ____________________________

Total: /64