Lab Activity No.

3
LIGHT-MATTER INTERACTION

OBJECTIVE: In this experiment, students will observe how the intensity of a light beam
is affected by suspended particulates and by liquid solution.

MATERIALS: small flashlight (cell phone lights), test tubes, food dye solution (to be
prepared by lab technician), matches

PROCEDURE:

1. Shine light through an empty test tube. Compare this with a tube filled with water.
Is light intensity decreased by water?
2. Prepare four test tubes as follows: One filled with water, a second filled with dye
solution, a third filled with 1:10 dye:solution, and the last with 1:100 dye:solution.
3. Stand the test tubes on a rack and shine light through the tubes onto a piece of
white cardboard or paper. Rate the intensity of the transmitted light using an
arbitrary scale for this purpose (See Worksheet).

4. Compare the colors of the three tubes containing dye above. Now view the test
tubes through its length (from above) rather than through its width (from the side).
Are the colors from above and through the side the same?

5. Light a match or a candle and insert the flame into the mouth of an inverted test
tube. This would extinguish the flame but produce smoke which should collect in
the test tube. Do this repeatedly until you have visibly collected smoke in the
tube. Stopper the tube after collecting the smoke. Shine light through the tube of
smoke and rate the intensity of the beam passing through in comparison with the
dye solutions.

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Group No. _____ Date: _______

Names: _____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

LIGHT-MATTER INTERACTION

Table 1. Light intensity versus absorbing species

Tube Sample Intensity*

No. (0-4)
1 Water
2 Dye solution
3 1:10 dye solution
4 1:100 dye solution
5 Smoke
*0- darkest through
4- brightest

QUESTIONS:

1. How does the intensity of transmitted light vary with the concentration of the
solution it passed through? Explain.

2. How does the color intensity of solutions vary with the depth or length of the
solution? Explain why you think this is so?

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3. Compare the color of the sky during sunrise, sunset, and noon. What is
responsible for the differences in the intensities of the light at these times of the
day?

4. How does the smoke differ from the dye solutions in its interaction with light?

5. What is particulate matter pollution? What health risks do you think PM

pollution pose?