Name: Lee Arthur Date: 4/25/21
Student Exploration: Color Absorption
Vocabulary: absorb, primary colors, reflect, transmit, transparent
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
A set of primary colors can be mixed to form all other colors. The three primary colors of
pigment are cyan (light blue), magenta (neon pink), and yellow. If possible, get three crayons –
light blue, pink, and yellow.
1. What color do you get when you mix cyan (light blue) and yellow?
green
2. What color do you get when you mix cyan and magenta (pink)?
Dark blue
3. As you add more colors, does the resulting color get lighter or darker?
It depends on what colors you mixGizmo
Warm-up: Mixing Light
In the Color Absorption Gizmo™, you can mix different colors of
light instead of pigments (like paints or crayons).
1. Observe the three primary colors of light. What are they?
Yellow,cyan,magenta
2. You can click on the lights to turn them on or off. What
colorsare formed by the following light combinations?
Red and green light: YELLOW Red and blue light: MAGENTA
Green and blue light: LIGHT BLUE Red, green, and blue light: WHITE
3. As you add more colors of light, does the resulting color get lighter or darker? It gets
darker when you add more colors
4. How is mixing the primary colors of light related to mixing the primary colors of pigment?
, It's the same thing but the material is different you use colors and the other is like
paint
Activity A: Get the Gizmo ready:
Absorption and ● Check that all three lights (red, green, and blue)
Transmission are turned on.
Introduction: If light is blocked by an object, it is either reflected or absorbed. If light passes
through an object, it is transmitted. Objects that transmit light without blurring are transparent.
Question: How does colored glass transmit and absorb light?
1. Observe: Drag each shade of colored glass into the light box, one at a time. What do you
notice? All the colors make black
2. Predict: What color of light will be transmitted by the Dark red, thick glass?
Red
3. Experiment: For each glass color, turn on the red, green, and blue lights separately. Record
the color that results from each combination of glass and light.
Glass Red light only Green light only Blue light only
Dark red, thick RED Dark Green Dark Blue
Dark green, thick Burgundy Light green Navy blue
Dark blue, thick Burgundy Dark Green Blue
4. Analyze: If a color of light passed through a piece of glass, it was transmitted. If most of the
light was blocked by the glass, it was absorbed. Fill in the blanks below.
A. Red glass transmits light and absorbs and light.
B. Green glass transmits light and absorbs and light.
C. Blue glass transmits light and absorbs and light.
5. Draw conclusions: How can you predict what colors will be transmitted and absorbed by
certain color of glass?
Student Exploration: Color Absorption
Vocabulary: absorb, primary colors, reflect, transmit, transparent
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
A set of primary colors can be mixed to form all other colors. The three primary colors of
pigment are cyan (light blue), magenta (neon pink), and yellow. If possible, get three crayons –
light blue, pink, and yellow.
1. What color do you get when you mix cyan (light blue) and yellow?
green
2. What color do you get when you mix cyan and magenta (pink)?
Dark blue
3. As you add more colors, does the resulting color get lighter or darker?
It depends on what colors you mixGizmo
Warm-up: Mixing Light
In the Color Absorption Gizmo™, you can mix different colors of
light instead of pigments (like paints or crayons).
1. Observe the three primary colors of light. What are they?
Yellow,cyan,magenta
2. You can click on the lights to turn them on or off. What
colorsare formed by the following light combinations?
Red and green light: YELLOW Red and blue light: MAGENTA
Green and blue light: LIGHT BLUE Red, green, and blue light: WHITE
3. As you add more colors of light, does the resulting color get lighter or darker? It gets
darker when you add more colors
4. How is mixing the primary colors of light related to mixing the primary colors of pigment?
, It's the same thing but the material is different you use colors and the other is like
paint
Activity A: Get the Gizmo ready:
Absorption and ● Check that all three lights (red, green, and blue)
Transmission are turned on.
Introduction: If light is blocked by an object, it is either reflected or absorbed. If light passes
through an object, it is transmitted. Objects that transmit light without blurring are transparent.
Question: How does colored glass transmit and absorb light?
1. Observe: Drag each shade of colored glass into the light box, one at a time. What do you
notice? All the colors make black
2. Predict: What color of light will be transmitted by the Dark red, thick glass?
Red
3. Experiment: For each glass color, turn on the red, green, and blue lights separately. Record
the color that results from each combination of glass and light.
Glass Red light only Green light only Blue light only
Dark red, thick RED Dark Green Dark Blue
Dark green, thick Burgundy Light green Navy blue
Dark blue, thick Burgundy Dark Green Blue
4. Analyze: If a color of light passed through a piece of glass, it was transmitted. If most of the
light was blocked by the glass, it was absorbed. Fill in the blanks below.
A. Red glass transmits light and absorbs and light.
B. Green glass transmits light and absorbs and light.
C. Blue glass transmits light and absorbs and light.
5. Draw conclusions: How can you predict what colors will be transmitted and absorbed by
certain color of glass?
