Physical Science

Quarter 2 – Module 1:
Models of the Universe
(Greek Astronomy to Kepler)

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 What I Know

DIRECTIONS: Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which BEST explains why the Earth is not disk-shaped?

A. Stars are viewed differently when traveling north and south.
B. The shadow cast by Earth during a lunar eclipse is circular.
C. The shadow cast in two different cities during a solstice differed in length.
D. The only shape that cast a circular shadow in whatever direction is a
sphere.
2. Which of the following is an annual motion?
A. Moonrise C. Sunset
B. Eastward rise of stars D. Vernal equinox
3. What astronomical event was NOT known to men before the advent of
telescopes?
A. Solar eclipse C. Retrograde of Mars
B. Summer solstice D. Rotation of the Sun
4. Which aided Eratosthenes in measuring the Earth’s circumference?
A. The appearance of stars differs when travelling from north to south.
B. The shadow cast within the Syene and Alexandria during the solstice.
C. A sphere is the only shape that cast a circular shadow in whatever
direction.
D. The shadow cast by the Earth during a lunar eclipse is circular.
For nos. 5-6, choices are
A. Autumnal equinox C. Summer solstice
B. Eastward rise of stars D. Zodiac cycle
5. What is a diurnal motion?
6. Which does NOT involve the Sun’s ecliptic path?
For nos. 7-10, choices are:
A. All planets revolve around the sun in an elliptical orbit.
B. Any point in the closed curved is equidistant to the two foci.
C. Planets move fastest in the elliptical orbit when nearest to the sun.
D. The length of a planet’s revolution in the Sun is proportional to its orbit’s
size.
7. Which describes the law of ellipse?
8. Which describes the law of harmony?
9. Which describes the law of equal areas?
10. Which explains the difference in the orbital period of Earth and Saturn?
For nos. 11-15, choices are:
A. Copernican C. Ptolemaic
B. Keplerian D. Tychonic

11. Which presents a system with elliptical orbit?

12. Which presents a heliocentric model of the universe?
13. Which presents a geo-heliocentric model of the solar system?
14. Which attributes retrograde motion of the planets to epicycles?
15. Which states that a planet moves fastest when it is nearest to the sun?
 What is It

HOW GREEKS KNOW THAT THE EARTH IS ROUND

Even before Plato, the Greeks have deduced that the Earth is spherical
based on the observation that the shadow cast by the Earth during a lunar eclipse
is circular and that the only shape that can cast a circular shadow at whatever
direction it is pointed is a sphere. The Greeks were also able to measure the
diameter of the Earth. The Greeks also noted that the stars are viewed differently
as they travel north and south.
Eratosthenes, a Greek Mathematician, told
that no vertical shadow was cast as the
sun rays fall vertically in the city of Syene
in Egypt during summer solstice.
Eratosthenes noted that at the same time
a shadow was cast as the sun rays fell at
an angle of 7.2° [one fiftieth (1/50) of a
circle in ancient Greek writings] in the city
of Alexandria. He assumed that the sun
was so distant that the rays fall parallel to
each other on the Earth’s surface and that
the difference in the shadows cast in the
two cities was due to the curvature of
Earth’s round surface. The distance
between Syene and Alexandia was found
Figure 2 Eratosthenes’
to be 5000 stadia (approx. 800 km). Thus,
measurement of the Earth’s Eratosthenes thought the Earth’s
circumference circumference must be 50 x 5000 stadia or
From Ch. 2 Observing the Sky: The Birth of
Astronomy—Astronomy p. 44 | OpenStax. (2016). 250,000 stadia (40,000 kilometers). Now,
Download for free at what is the significance of the spherical
https://openstax.org/details/books/astronomy.
shape of Earth? The sense of symmetry by
Greeks demands a spherical Earth located
at the center of the sphere of heavens.
ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS KNOWN TO MEN BEFORE THE ADVENT OF
TELESCOPES
Before the advent of telescopes, humans depended on their senses to grasp
the universe. Ancient Babylonian, Assyrian, and Egyptian knew the length of the
year and Egyptians, adopted a calendar based on 365 days a year. The Egyptians
also kept track of the yearly cycle of the star Sirius which corresponds to the
flooding of Nile. Early Chinese civilizations kept track of the comets, meteors, and
dark spots of the Sun. Mayan civilization also developed a calendar based on the
movements of Venus. Meanwhile, the Polynesians utilized the stars for navigation.
Below are astronomical events before telescope was invented.
Diurnal Motion
In modern astronomy, diurnal motion is defined as the apparent daily
motion of stars and other celestial bodies across the sky due to Earth’s rotation.
Man has observed the sun rising from the east and set in the west. The Greek
astronomers have described ‘fixed stars’ moving in the sky at the same
arrangement and speed as most of the stars are. Stars whose movements deviate
from what seems to be fixed stars were called ‘planetes’ which means ‘wandering
stars’ in Greek. The seven wandering stars are the Sun, moon, Mercury, Venus,
Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
Annual Motion
Annual motion is the apparent yearly motion of stars and other celestial
bodies across the sky due to Earth’s revolution. Below are events under annual
motion.
Zodiac and the Ecliptic
If we trace the path the sun takes in the celestial sphere as we see on Earth,
we would have traced the ecliptic. A band of thirteen constellations collectively
called zodiac can be seen in the ecliptic. Ancient civilizations have observed that
these constellations changes through months as constellations are visible at
different times in a year. These constellations served to mark the time for planting
and used by astronomers to develop a chart called horoscope.
Equinoxes and Solstices
Equinoxes are the two days in a year in which the sun crosses the celestial
equator occurring near March 20 (vernal equinox) and near September 22
(autumnal equinox). Midway between these two equinoxes is the solstices. Solstices
are the two days in a year in which the Sun is at the farthest declination (north or
south) from the celestial equator. Ancient Greeks and Early Chinese civilizations
have recorded solstices by observing the declination of the sun for several days
before and after the solstice. The calculated half-way between the days with the
equal declination of the sun at noon would be the solstice. This method also applies
for equinoxes.
Precession
Hipparchus in 150 BCE has discovered based on his observation that the
north celestial pole has changed during the period of a half - century. He noticed
that the slow and continuous
change in the direction in which
the sky is moving. We understand
at present that precession is the
slow ‘wobbling’ of Earth’s axis of
rotation due to the gravitational
pull of the Moon and Sun. Figure 3
illustrates the 26,000-year cycle of
precession. About 5,000 years ago
the north celestial pole is located at
the star Thuban. At present, the
Figure 3 Precession of the Earth
From Ch. 2 Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy—Astronomy
p. 47 | OpenStax. (2016). Download for free at
https://openstax.org/details/books/astronomy
north celestial pole is located near the star Polaris and will be located at the star
Vega after 14,000 years.
Eclipse
Eclipses occur when either the Earth or moon cast a shadow into each other.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and sun with the
moon casting a shadow on the Earth’s surface. A lunar eclipse occurs when the
Earth is directly aligned between the sun and moon with the Earth casting a
shadow on the moon. Take note that a solar eclipse may occur only during the new
moon phase, while a lunar eclipse may occur only during the full moon phase.
MODELS OF THE UNIVERSE
Throughout the history of astronomy, models of the universe have been
projected. The table below describes the model of the universe.

Ptolemaic system Copernican system Tychonic system

Proponent Claudius Ptolemy Nicholas Copernicus Tycho Brahe
Center of Earth Sun Earth
universe
Orbits All other celestial All planets including The moon and sun
bodies revolve around Earth revolves around revolve around
the Earth. the Sun. Only the moon Earth. All other
revolves around the planets revolve
Earth. around the sun.
Stars The stars are located The stars are located The stars are
and fixed in the and fixed in the located and fixed in
outermost celestial outermost celestial the outermost
sphere. sphere. celestial sphere.
Explanation Utilized the epicycles Differences in the orbital Same as the
of and deferent to speed of the planets Copernican
retrograde explain the apparent explained the retrograde System.
motion westward motion of motion of the planets.
the planets. (See Planets nearer to the
figure 7a) Sun revolves faster than
those that are far from
the Sun.
Illustration

Figure 4 Geocentric Figure 5 Heliocentric Figure 6 Geo-

model according to model according to heliocentric model
Ptolemy Copernicus according to Brahe
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wik https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/in https://commons.wikimedia.o
ipedia/commons/8/8f/Ptolemaic_ dex.php?curid=12353176 rg/w/index.php?curid=53903
system_%28PSF%29.png 3
 (a) (b)
Figure 7 (a) Retrograde motion of Mars as seen in the celestial sphere (b) epicycle
used by Ptolemy to explain retrograde motions.
From Ch. 2 Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy—Astronomy (a) p. 47 (b) p.48 | OpenStax. (2016). Download for free at
https://openstax.org/details/books/astronomy

Planets usually rise from east to west as we see in the celestial sphere.
However, it was observed by the ancient astronomers that the planets seem to
move westward for several weeks and move eastward again in the succeeding
weeks. In our current situation, we can explain that these retrograde motions were
due to the difference in the period of revolution of the planets around the sun as
seen in figure 7a. With Earth being closer to the sun, it moves faster than the
planets farther from the Sun. Ptolemy in his time held the belief that the Earth
does not revolve and is the center of the universe. The epicycle was used to explain
these retrograde motions. Here, a planet revolves in an orbit called epicycle while
the center of the epicycle revolves around Earth. This path of revolution of the
epicycle is called deferent.
TYCHO BRAHE AND JOHANNES KEPLER
Tycho Brahe, a Danish astronomer continuously and precisely recorded the
position of the sun, moon, and planets for over 20 years using instruments that are
like giant protractors. He noted based on his observations that the positions of the
planets differ from those that were published. However, he was not able to develop
a better model than Ptolemy’s as he didn’t have the ability to analyze his data.
Years before his death, he hired Johannes Kepler as a research assistant to aid in
analyzing his data. Brahe was reluctant to provide such data to Kepler, but at his
death, the observational data was possessed by Kepler. Being knowledgeable in
geometry, Kepler was able to derive from Brahe’s data that the orbital path of Mars
was elliptical contrary to the previous investigators who were trying to fit the
planetary paths in circles. Generalizing his results, he was able to formulate the
three laws of planetary motion:
1. Law of Ellipse: orbits of all the planets are elliptical with the Sun at one focus
of the ellipse. An ellipse is a somewhat flattened circle. It is a closed curve in
which the sum of the distances from any point on the ellipse to foci (two
points inside) is constant.
2. Law of Equal Areas: a line joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal
areas in space in equal intervals of time. Thus, a planet moves fastest when it
is nearest to the sun
 3. Law of Harmony: the square of a planet’s orbital period (years) is proportional
to the cube of the semimajor axis of its orbit (in astronomical units or AU) or
𝑃2 = 𝑎3 . Thus, the larger the orbit’s size, the longer it takes to orbit the sun.

What’s More

Activity 1.1 Draw it

Draw a model of the solar system based on the Kepler’s Law of Planetary Motions.
Write labels and figures to illustrate the three laws.

Activity 1.2 How far and how many years?

Using the formula given for the Law of Harmony, find the number of years a planet
takes to orbit the Sun and its distance from the Sun (semi-major axis).

Ex. Pluto’s a3 = 64,000. Its distance from the Sun (a) is equal to 40 AU. Likewise,
Pluto’s 𝑃2 64,000. Its orbital period (P) is equal to 252.98 years.

Planet Square of Cube of the Orbital period Distance from

planet’s semi-major (a)in years the sun (P) in
orbital years axis of the AU
(𝑃2 ) planet’s orbit
(a3 ) in
astronomical
units (AU)
Mercury 0.058 0.058 (1) (2)
Venus 0.378 0.378 (3) (4)
Earth 1.00 1.00 (5) (6)
Mars 3.54 3.54 (7) (8)
Jupiter 141 141 (9) (10)
Saturn 868 868 (11) (12)

What I Have Learned

Identification
Identify the astronomical events being described in each item. Write your answer
on a separate sheet of paper.
1. It is the daily motion of stars and other celestial bodies across the sky due to
Earth’s rotation.
2. It is a model which deems Earth as the center of the universe.
3. An event in which the sun passes the celestial equator.
4. Occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and sun with the moon
casting a shadow on the Earth’s surface.
5. A model which deems all planets revolve around the sun.
6. Set of thirteen constellations seen along the Sun’s ecliptic path.
7. The astronomical event in which the sun passes the highest or lowest point
from the celestial equator.
8. It is the wobbling of the Earth’s celestial north pole.
9. The apparent yearly motion of stars and other celestial bodies across the sky
due to Earth’s revolution.
10. It occurs when the Earth is directly aligned between the sun and moon with
the Earth casting a shadow on the moon.

What I Can Do

You have learned about the ancient Greek astronomy and the development
of the model of the solar system. Answer the questions in two to three sentences.
1. Using a ball and a Frisbee, how would you explain to a flat-earther friend that
the Earth is round?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Why was Tycho Brahe’s work essential in the development of Kepler’s law of
planetary motion?
 ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Assessment

DIRECTIONS: Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which BEST explains why the Earth is not disk-shaped?

A. Stars are viewed differently when traveling north and south.
B. The shadow cast by the Earth during a lunar eclipse is circular.
C. The shadows cast in two different cities during a solstice differed in
length.
D. The only shape that cast a circular shadow in whatever direction is a
sphere.
2. Which of the following is an annual motion?
A. Moonrise C. Sunset
B. Eastward rise of stars D. Vernal equinox
3. What astronomical event was NOT known to men before the advent of
telescopes?
A. Solar eclipse C. Retrograde of Mars
B. Summer solstice D. Rotation of the Sun
4. Which aided Eratosthenes in measuring the Earth’s circumference?
A. The appearance of stars differs as when traveling north and south.
B. The shadows cast within the Syene and Alexandria during the solstice.
C. The sphere is the only shape that casts a circular shadow in whatever
direction.
D. The shadow casts by the Earth during a lunar eclipse is circular
For nos. 5-6, choices are
A. Autumnal equinox C. Summer solstice
B. Eastward rise of stars D. Zodiac cycle
5. What is a diurnal motion?
6. Which does NOT involve the Sun’s ecliptic path?
For nos. 7-10, choices are:
E. All planets revolve around the sun in an elliptical orbit.
F. Any point in the closed curved is equidistant to the two foci.
G. Planets move fastest in the elliptical orbit when nearest to the sun.
H. The length of a planet’s revolution in the Sun is proportional to its orbit’s
size.
 7. Which describes the law of ellipse?
8. Which describes the law of harmony?
9. Which describes the law of equal areas?
10. Which explains the difference in the orbital period of Earth and Saturn?
For nos. 11-15, choices are:
A. Copernican C. Ptolemaic
B. Keplerian D. Tychonic
11. Which presents a system with elliptical orbit?
12. Which presents a heliocentric model of the universe?
13. Which presents a geo-heliocentric model of the solar system?
14. Which attributes retrograde motion of the planets to epicycles?
15. Which states that a planet moves fastest when it is nearest to the sun?

Additional Activities

Reflect on your learning in this module using the 3-2-1 questionnaire.

Three things I learned in this module:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Two things I am interested at:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
One question I still have
1. ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Optional: Watch the video on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01QWC-rZcfE
entitled “Cycles in the Sky: Crash Course Astronomy #3”, include your learnings
from the video in the 3-2-1 questionnaire.

Answer Key

B 15.
C 14.
D 13.
A 12.
B 11.
D 10.
C 9.
D 8. 9.54 12.
A 7. 29.46 11.
D 6. 5.20 10.
D 5. 11.87 9.
C 4. 1.524 8.
D 3. 1.881 7. B 15.
C 2. 1.00 6. C 14.
D 1. 1.00 5. D 13.
0.723 4. A 12.
Assessment 0.615 3. B 11.
lunar eclipse 10. 0.387 2. D 10.
annual motion 9. 0.241 1. C 9.
precession 8. D 8.
What's more (Activity 1.2)
solstice 7. A 7.
zodiac 6. D 6.
vernal equinox 6.
heliocentric 5. D 5.
ecliptic 5.
solar eclipse 4. C 4.
right ascension 4.
equinox 3. D 3.
declination 3.
geocentric model 2. C 2.
celestial south pole 2.
diurnal motion 1. D 1.
celestial north pole 1.
What I have learned What I Know
What’s in?
 What I Know
DIRECTIONS: Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about Galileo’s assertion about free -
falling bodies?
a. Bodies will fall on the surface of the Earth at a constant acceleration.
b. Bodies will fall on the surface of the Earth at a constant speed.
c. Bodies will fall on the surface of the Earth at a constant velocity.
d. Bodies will fall on the surface of the Earth at a constant projectile.
2. Which of the following is NOT considered part of Aristotelian’s natural
motion?
a. A book resting on top of a table
b. Pushing a cart
c. An apple falling from a tree
d. Smoke naturally rises
3. Which of the following is NOT an assertion of Galileo?
a. A body that is in uniform motion will move a distance that is
proportional to the time it will take to travel.
b. A uniformly accelerating body will travel at a speed proportional to
time.
c. An object in motion will keep moving; and the external force is not
necessary to maintain the motion.
d. A body will fall on the surface of the Earth at a constant speed.
4. Which of the following is TRUE about Aristotle’s assertion about vertical
motion?
a. The distance of a body is inversely proportional to the time it covers
to travel a certain height.
b. The mass of a body is inversely proportional to the time it covers to
travel a certain height.
c. The acceleration of a body is inversely proportional to the time it
covers to travel a certain height.
d. The velocity of a body is inversely proportional to the time it covers
to travel a certain height.
5. Which of the following is TRUE about inertia based on Galileo’s
conception?
a. Inertia is responsible for bringing a body to motion.
b. Inertia is responsible for the continuous acceleration of a body.
c. The amount of inertia of a body is directly proportional to its mass.
d. The amount of inertia of a body is inversely proportional to its mass.
“The physics of motion provides one of the clearest examples of the intuitive and
unexpected nature of Science.” -Lewis Wolpert

What is It
Galilean Conceptions vs. Aristotelian Conceptions
According to Aristotle, motion is classified as natural or violent motion. He
explained that in a natural motion, a body will move and will return to its natural
state based on the body’s nature and composition. In contrast, a body moving in
a violent motion needs an external force for it to move. However, Galileo
disproved Aristotle’s claims and stated that the motion of a body is not due to its
composition. He further asserted that the motion of a body can be described by
measurement and the changes in quantifiable variables such as time and
distance. Lastly, he further asserted that:
1. A body who is in uniform motion will move a distance that is
proportional to the time it will take to travel;
2. A uniformly accelerating body will travel at a speed proportional to time;
and
3. An object in motion will keep moving; and the external force is not
necessary to maintain the motion.
With regards to the concept of vertical motion, Aristotle pointed out that
the velocity of a body is inversely proportional to the time it covers to travel a
certain height. On the other hand, Galileo emphasized that if two objects of
different weights are dropped from a high point, both will hit the ground at the
same time.
In terms of horizontal motion, Aristotle mentioned that bodies require
force to maintain horizontal motion. In the contrary, Galileo asserted that if there
is no interference, a body in motion will keep moving in a straight line forever. He
further added that there is no need to apply force for it to continuously move.
The external force will act upon the body not to keep it from moving, but for it to
stop moving.
Lastly, with regards to projectile motion, Aristotle coined the concept of
antiperistasis which is the resistance of a medium in response to the movement
of a body; while Galileo explained that projectiles follow a curved path with a
horizontal and vertical component.
 Galileo and his Uniform Acceleration
Galileo asserted using his cannonball experiment that when objects are
dropped simultaneously at the same height, they will reach the ground at the
same time regardless of mass, size, and air resistance. This experiment paved the
way for the discovery of the principle of uniform acceleration.
Furthermore, he noticed that falling objects increases their speed as they
go down and he coined this change in speed as acceleration. His observations
lead to remarkable conclusions that regardless of the mass, size, and shape of an
object, and air resistance, falling objects will always have uniform acceleration
and that, force is not necessary to sustain the horizontal motion of a body. He
further asserted that the speed of a body is directly proportional to the time it
travels a path and that the distance covered by a moving body is directly
proportional to the square of time interval which implies that the speed of a
falling object does not depend on a body’s weight but on the time of fall. Lastly,
using his inclined plane experiment and cannonball experiment, he came up with
the following observations and conclusions:
A body moving down an inclined plane increases its acceleration by the
same value after every second.
The maximum acceleration of a body is attained when the inclined plane is
positioned vertically as if the body is falling. ➢ Using the law of parabolic fall, he
concluded that bodies fall with constant acceleration on the surface and that
gravity pulling all bodies downward is a constant force. In this regard, he found
out that force is not necessary to sustain horizontal motion.
Galileo’s Assertion and Newton’s Laws of Motion
Galileo Galilei proposed the first accurate principle governing motion and
masses in his experiments wherein, remarkable findings such as bodies
accelerate at the same rate regardless of their respective masses and sizes and
that force is not needed to sustain horizontal motion were emphasized. He stated
that the mass of an object is proportional to its resistance to move and that force
is not necessary to keep an object in motion. However, Sir Isaac Newton
proposed Laws on Motion anchored on the findings of Galileo and expounded his
assertions. In his first law of motion, he mentioned that an object at rest will
remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force and a body in motion will
keep moving unless external force is acted upon it. Lastly, he stated that a body
will only accelerate if an external force is acted upon it.
Newton’s first law states that, if a body is at rest or in motion, it will
remain at rest or keep in motion unless an external force is acted upon. This
postulate is known as inertia which was proposed by Galileo in his experiment
about horizontal motion wherein, he stated that a body requires an external
force to move and that an external force must be acted upon for a body to rest.
On the other hand, the second law states that the change in momentum of a
body is equal to the magnitude and direction of force acting upon it. He further
added that force is the product of the mass of an object and its acceleration.
Lastly, the third law also known as the law of interaction states that when two
bodies interact, both will apply equal amount of forces to one another in the
opposite direction.

Assessment
DIRECTIONS: Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Rising of smoke is an example of what type of motion according to
Aristotle?
a. natural b. normal c. reaction d. violent
2. Which of the following is needed to put a body to rest?
a. inertia b. force c. gravity d. mass
3. The resistance of a medium in response to movement of a body is known
as;
a. antiperistasis b. force c. inertia d. gravity
4. What will happen if an external force is acted upon a body at rest?
a. it will move c. nothing will happen
b. it will not move d. it will remain in motion
5. What will happen to the acceleration of the body if a marble moves in a
sloped downward plane?
a. accelerates b. decelerates c. nothing d. not determined
Physical Science
Quarter 2 – Module 3:
Reflection of Light

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 What I Know

DIRECTIONS: Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write
your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What do you call a phenomenon by which the incident light falling on the
surface is sent back into the same medium?
A. Absorption
B. Polarization2
C. Reflection
D. Refraction
2. What angle is formed by an incoming ray with the normal?
A. Angle of incidence
B. Angle of reflection
C. Angle of refraction
D. Angle of equivalence
3. Which statement correctly describes the “Law of reflection”?
A. The angle of reflection is perpendicular to the normal.
B. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection
C. The angle of reflection is parallel to the angle of incidence
D. Both the angle of incidence and reflection lie in different planes.
4. What type of reflection is produced by rough surfaces?
A. Diffuse reflection
B. Dispersion
C. Specular reflection
D. Total internal reflection
5. Which of the following best describes a Normal line?
A. The path is taken by the rays of light as it approaches the surface
B. Line parallel to the incident and reflected ray
C. The total distance traveled by light upon reflecting
D. An imaginary line is drawn perpendicular to the reflecting
surface
6. Which of the following pairs perfectly describe the reflection produced by
a smooth surface?
A. Diffuse reflection: clear and precise
B. Specular reflection: clear and precise
C. Diffuse reflection: not clear and vague
D. Specular reflection: not clear and vague

8
7. An incoming ray of light strikes the mirror at an angle of 30˚ relative to
the normal. What is the angle between the incident ray and the reflected
ray?
A. 15 ˚
B. 30 ˚
C. 60 ˚
D. 90 ˚
8. A ray of light strikes a polished surface at an angle of 37˚. What is the
angle of reflection and location of the reflected ray?
A. 37.0˚ on the same side with the incident ray
B. 37.0˚ on the other side of the normal line
C. 53.0˚ on the same side with the incident ray
D. 53.0˚ on the other side of the normal line
9. Two flat mirrors are perpendicular to each
other as shown in the figure. An incoming
beam of light makes an angle of 15˚ with the
first mirror. What angle will the outgoing beam
make with the second mirror?
A. 15 ˚
B. 30 ˚
C. 75 ˚
D. 90 ˚
10. The angle between a horizontal ruler and a vertical plane mirror is
30◦. What is the angle between the ruler and its image?
A. 15˚
B. 30˚
C. 60˚
D. 90˚

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 What is It

Reflection of Light
What happens when light strikes a surface? Some of the light is reflected as
evidenced by the laser activity while others are transmitted or absorbed. This behavior
of light to bounce as it strikes a surface is called reflection, as a result, it enables us to
see images being reflected from a surface. As the light approaches a reflecting surface,
it obeys the Law of Reflection. It tells us that the angle of reflection is equal to the angle
of incidence.

Figure 2. Light-reflecting from a surface

For you to fully understand the law of reflection, analyze Figure 2. It illustrates
the incident ray as a light ray approaching the surface or mirror that creates an angle
of incidence (i) with the Normal line (N) which is an imaginary line drawn perpendicularly
from the point of incidence on the surface or mirror. On the other side of the Normal (N)
line is the reflected ray that leaves the surface or mirror. The distance between the
reflected ray and the Normal line is called the angle of reflection (r). Therefore, the normal
(N) divides the incident ray and reflected ray into two equal angles. The incident rays,
reflected rays, and the normal line all lie on the same plane.
Here is the mathematical representation of the Law of Reflection:

𝜃𝑟 = 𝜃𝑖
Remember: The Law of reflection is always observed regardless of the orientation of the
surface.

Figure 3. Light-reflecting on surfaces with different orientation.

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 The figure above shows different reflecting surfaces with varying orientations.
You will notice that the incident ray will always have the same angle as the reflected ray
relative to the imaginary normal line.

How to draw a light ray reflection diagram?

Here are the steps to help you remember how to draw a light ray reflection diagram.

Figure 4. Drawing ray diagrams

Diffuse vs. Specular Reflection

Mirrors are typical examples of a reflecting surface. Mirrors have a very smooth
surface that give individual rays of light in the same surface orientation. Thus, when
you look into a mirror, you can see a clear image of yourself. However, mirrors are not
the only type of material that demonstrates a reflection of light. Most of the objects
around us do! As you read this module, light is reflected from the pages, allowing you
to read the written information.
Analyze figure 5, distinguish the difference between diffuse and specular
reflection.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Regular-and-diffuse-reflection.svg

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 Figure 5. Diffuse and Specular Reflection
Smooth surface bounces light in one direction creating a clear and vivid reflection
of the image which is called specular reflection. On the other hand, a rough surface
reflects light in various directions due to the uneven orientation of the surface, which
will result in a hazy or unclear image of the object.
These two types of reflection have many practical applications, let us cite some
common examples. Night driving on a wet asphalt road becomes difficult due to glare
produced by headlights of incoming vehicles. This is because the rough surface was
filled with rainwater making the surface smooth, instead of a diffuse reflection, a more
concentrated beam of light produces specular reflection. In the same manner,
photography also takes advantage of specular and diffuse reflection in taking images of
a subject. A picture of a beautiful mountain being reflected in the calm and still water
is a classic example.

What’s More

Activity 1.1 Mirror Maze

Let’s see if you have mastered the concept. Can you work out the reflections to show the
path taken by the laser for it to be detected?
Note:
Not all mirrors are used
Write on the angle of incidence and reflection per mirror used.
Draw arrows to show the direction of the laser.

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 What I Have Learned

1. The assumption that light travels in a straight line is the basis of the Ray model
of light.
2. The straight-line path traversed by light is called a ray.
3. A light ray approaching the surface is incident ray while the light leaving the
surface is called reflected ray.
4. The normal line is the imaginary line drawn from the point of incidence
perpendicular to the surface that bisects the diagram into two equal parts.
5. The angle an incident ray makes with the normal is called the angle of incidence.
6. The angle the reflected ray makes with the normal is called the angle of reflection
7. The Law of Reflection states that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of
the reflected ray
The mathematical representation of the law of reflection is 𝜃𝑟 = 𝜃𝑖
8. Diffuse reflection is when light is incident upon a rough surface and is reflected
in many directions creating a hazy and not so clear image of the object.
9. Specular reflection occurs when light is incident upon a smooth surface and
angle is reflected on the same angle creating a clear and precise image of the
object.
10. Mirrors are good example of reflecting devices.
11. The image is formed because of reflection.

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 Assessment

Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answer on a separate
sheet of paper.

1. What do you call the phenomenon by which the incident light falling on
the surface is sent back into the same medium?
A. Absorption
B. Reflection
C. Polarization
D. Refraction
2. What angle is formed by an incoming ray with the normal?
A. Angle of reflection
B. Angle of refraction
C. Angle of incidence
D. Angle of equivalence
3. Which statement best describes the “Law of reflection”?
A. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection
B. The angle of reflection is perpendicular to the normal.
C. The angle of reflection is parallel to the angle of incidence
D. Both the angle of incidence and reflection lie in different planes.
4. What type of reflection is produced by rough surfaces?
A. Total internal reflection
B. Dispersion
C. Diffuse reflection
D. Specular reflection
5. Which of the following best describes a Normal line?
A. The path is taken by the rays of light as it approaches the surface
B. Line parallel to the incident and reflected ray
C. An imaginary line is drawn perpendicular to the reflecting surface
D. The total distance traveled by light upon reflecting
6. Which of the following pairs perfectly describes the reflection produced
by a smooth surface?
A. Diffuse reflection: clear and vivid
B. Diffuse reflection: unclear and vague
C. Specular reflection: unclear and vague
D. Specular reflection: clear and vivid

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7. An incoming ray of light strikes the mirror at an angle of 30˚ relative to
the normal. What is the angle between the incident ray and the reflected
ray?
A. 15 ˚
B. 30 ˚
C. 60 ˚
D. 90 ˚
8. A ray of light strikes a polished surface at an angle of 37˚. What is the
angle of reflection and location of the reflected ray?
A. 37.0˚ on the same side with the incident ray
B. 37.0˚ on the other side of the normal line
C. 53.0˚ on the same side with the incident ray
D. 53.0˚ on the other side of the normal line
9. Two flat mirrors are perpendicular to each
other as shown in the figure. An incoming
beam of light makes an angle of 15˚ with the
first mirror. What angle will the outgoing beam
make with the second mirror?
A. 15 ˚
B. 30 ˚
C. 75 ˚
D. 90 ˚
10. The angle between a horizontal ruler and a vertical plane mirror is
30◦. What is the angle between the ruler and its image?
A. 90˚
B. 60˚
C. 30˚
D. 15˚

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