White Light & Colour
Explain that white light is a mixture of all visible colours (ROYGBIV), describe dispersion through a prism, explain why objects appear coloured (selective reflection and absorption of wavelengths), and describe colour mixing with filters
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1 approach
White Light & Colour means practising the idea at the table with a simple hands-on check. We will demo once, then your child tries.
Materials: A torch or phone light and a blank wall OR a rubber band / ruler for sound; Paper for notes. 1. Say the goal of White Light & Colour in plain words once. 2. Adult makes one light or sound change (shadow size, or pitch by tightening) and names what changed. 3. Child makes three controlled changes and records what they see or hear. 4. Fresh check: one fresh cause-and-effect observation. Record and stop. Done: three recorded light/sound changes with a cause each. Proof: parent note of examples and results. Stop: End after the fresh check; keep optional challenge for another day.
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Start practiceWhite Light & Colour practice
Practice key ideas from White Light & Colour.
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Learning resources
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PhET Interactive Simulations · Practice link — not the full lesson
Color Vision
Before you open · source notes
Color Vision supports hands-on exploration for White Light & Colour. Not every lab worksheet.
Free interactive page, no sign-in required for the tested path.
Before you openAsk the learner what they changed in the sim or page and what they observed.
Opening this link does not save learning or assess mastery.
Source, access and review notes
Public PhET Interactive Simulations page. An anonymous GET on 2026-11-12 returned HTTP 200 with no login or payment prompt for this URL. Opening the link does not save practice or assess mastery. An adult should preview and guide the learner.
PhET Interactive Simulations. “Color Vision.” External page; Gakuva does not copy, host, embed, or redistribute materials.
Unknown — link only
Check understanding
- Lists the colours of the visible spectrum in order of increasing frequency
- Explains why a prism disperses white light into a spectrum
- Explains why a red object looks red under white light but black under blue light
- Predicts the colour of an object seen through a colour filter
“If your child shone white light through a prism, could they explain why a rainbow of colours appears — and then predict what colour a blue jumper would look under red light and why?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Waves, Light & Sound
- Age range
- Ages 11–12
Standards