Science Learning Hub logo
TopicsConceptsCitizen scienceTeacher PLDGlossary
Sign in
topics

light and colour

Light and sight – introduction

Article

Light and sight – introduction

If there is no light, there is no sight – explore our resources and learn more about the basics of ...

Read more
Colours of light

Article

Colours of light

Light is made up of wavelengths of light, and each wavelength is a particular colour. The colour we see is ...

Read more
Hunting galaxies far far away – here’s how anyone can explore the universe

Article

Hunting galaxies far far away – here’s how anyone can explore the universe

Astronomer, Dr Sara Webb is fascinated about viewing distant galaxies. She is a galaxy hunter and explores the universe through the eyes of many different telescopes ...

Read more
Our eyes – our vision

Article

Our eyes – our vision

Sight is one of our senses – it helps us to be aware of our surroundings. The eye contains structures that allow it to perceive light, ...

Read more
Defending the dark

Article

Defending the dark

This article explores light pollution and practical ways to minimise it. Readers are introduced to key science ideas including the Bortle scale (a way to measure ...

Read more
Light – colour and fluorescence

Article

Light – colour and fluorescence

Visible light is the small part within the electromagnetic spectrum that human eyes are sensitive to and can detect. Visible light waves consist of different wavelengths. ...

Read more
Light – polarisation

Article

Light – polarisation

Polarised sunglasses look like regular sunglasses, but they are able to filter out the glare from automobile windscreens and the surface of water. The glasses you ...

Read more
Light and shadows

Article

Light and shadows

When children draw pictures of the Sun, they often show rays radiating outwards – similar to the image below. At this stage of our Sun’s life ...

Read more
Glow-worms

Article

Glow-worms

Glow-worms are New Zealand’s underground stars. Small but bright, it is no wonder why they attract so many tourists to places such as Waitomo and Paparoa ...

Read more
Orange light helps thinking

Article

Orange light helps thinking

Who needs coffee in the morning when you can just shine an orange light in your eyes? A team of European scientists has shown that exposure ...

Read more
Great outdoors resets biological clocks

Article

Great outdoors resets biological clocks

It turns out that all that malarkey from our parents about turning out the light at night and then getting fresh air and sunshine during the ...

Read more
Refraction of light

Article

Refraction of light

Refraction is the bending of light (it also happens with sound, water and other waves) as it passes from one transparent substance into another. This bending ...

Read more
How the eye focuses light

Article

How the eye focuses light

The human eye is a sense organ adapted to allow vision by reacting to light. The cornea and the crystalline lens are both important for the ...

Read more
Diagram of 3 types of reflection, Mirror, Specular and Diffuse

Article

Reflection of light

Reflection is when light bounces off an object. If the surface is smooth and shiny, like glass, water or polished metal, the light will reflect at ...

Read more
Alternative conceptions about light

Article

Alternative conceptions about light

This article introduces common student alternative conceptions about light based on education research. It is important that teachers are aware of these during a sequence of ...

Read more
Depth perception

Article

Depth perception

Seeing with two eyes helps people to judge distances and to see in 3D, but even using one eye, there are many clues (often referred to ...

Read more
Light and sight – question bank

Article

Light and sight – question bank

An inquiry approach is a method often used in science education. The question bank provides an initial list of questions about our resources looking at light ...

Read more
Close up image of the human eye.

Article

Light and sight – key terms

If there is no light, there is no sight Use this resource for explanations of the key concepts about the basics of light, how we see ...

Read more
Light basics

Article

Light basics

Light is a form of energy produced by a light source. Light is made of photons that travel very fast. Photons of light behave like both ...

Read more
Associate Professor Rainer Künnemeyer

Article

Associate Professor Rainer Künnemeyer

Position: Former Associate Professor, School of Engineering, University of Waikato. Field: Optics, optoelectronics. Rainer was born in Germany where he attended high school and university. He ...

Read more
Associate Professor Gordon Sanderson

Article

Associate Professor Gordon Sanderson

Position: former Associate Professor, University of Otago. Field: Ophthalmology. Dr Gordon Sanderson was Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Otago, Dunedin. ...

Read more
Dr Adrian Dorrington

Article

Dr Adrian Dorrington

Position: Former Senior Lecturer, University of Waikato. Currently founder and director Chronoptics. Field: Optics, time-of-flight 3D-cameras Dr Adrian Dorrington was attracted to studying science because of ...

Read more
Light interaction with biological materials

Article

Light interaction with biological materials

Light interacts with biological materials in several different ways. This field of research is known as biophotonics. Associate Professor Künnemeyer’s research focus is in the field ...

Read more
Ophthalmology research

Article

Ophthalmology research

Associate Professor Gordon Sanderson’s research is in the field of ophthalmology – a scientific field of study that is concerned with anatomy, physiology and diseases of ...

Read more
  • ‹
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • ›

See our newsletters here.

NewsEventsAboutContact usPrivacyCopyrightHelp

The Science Learning Hub Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao is funded through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's Science in Society Initiative.

Science Learning Hub Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao © 2007-2026 The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato