In this Grade 6 Earth Science lesson from Chapter 19: Exploring Space, students learn how electromagnetic radiation — including visible light, radio waves, and X-rays — carries information about objects in space. Students explore how telescopes and other instruments help astronomers detect different forms of radiation to determine the size, distance, composition, and movement of distant objects. The lesson also examines how Earth's atmosphere can distort light from space, connecting to a hands-on investigation of light distortion.
Section 1
Light Waves Carry Information Across Space
Electromagnetic radiation, including visible light and invisible waves like radio and x-rays, travels throughout space. Scientists analyze these different wavelengths to learn about objects' size, distance, composition, and movement.
Section 2
Prisms Separate Light into Color Spectrums
When white light passes through a prism, it separates into the visible spectrum—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. These colors appear in order of wavelength, with red having the longest and violet the shortest.
Section 3
Telescopes Gather Radiation to Study the Universe
Reflecting telescopes use curved mirrors while refracting telescopes use objective lenses to gather and focus light. Different telescopes collect various forms of radiation, providing astronomers with different information about space objects.
Section 4
Space Telescopes Avoid Atmospheric Interference
Telescopes like Hubble orbit Earth to avoid atmospheric distortion that causes stars to appear to twinkle. Space-based instruments can detect forms of radiation blocked by our atmosphere, providing clearer images than ground-based telescopes.
Section 5
Scientists Build Spectroscopes to Analyze Light Sources
Astronomers use spectroscopes with diffraction gratings to separate light into spectra. By analyzing these color patterns, scientists can identify unique signatures of different light sources, revealing information about stars and other celestial objects.
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Section 1
Light Waves Carry Information Across Space
Electromagnetic radiation, including visible light and invisible waves like radio and x-rays, travels throughout space. Scientists analyze these different wavelengths to learn about objects' size, distance, composition, and movement.
Section 2
Prisms Separate Light into Color Spectrums
When white light passes through a prism, it separates into the visible spectrum—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. These colors appear in order of wavelength, with red having the longest and violet the shortest.
Section 3
Telescopes Gather Radiation to Study the Universe
Reflecting telescopes use curved mirrors while refracting telescopes use objective lenses to gather and focus light. Different telescopes collect various forms of radiation, providing astronomers with different information about space objects.
Section 4
Space Telescopes Avoid Atmospheric Interference
Telescopes like Hubble orbit Earth to avoid atmospheric distortion that causes stars to appear to twinkle. Space-based instruments can detect forms of radiation blocked by our atmosphere, providing clearer images than ground-based telescopes.
Section 5
Scientists Build Spectroscopes to Analyze Light Sources
Astronomers use spectroscopes with diffraction gratings to separate light into spectra. By analyzing these color patterns, scientists can identify unique signatures of different light sources, revealing information about stars and other celestial objects.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter