Translucent materials
This Topic is About...
- I will talk about transparent, translucent, and opaque materials.
- I will stay safe when using glass in an investigation.
- I will record observations in tables and then interpret the results.
- I will make predictions and see if they are right.
- I will draw a diagram to show how translucent material scatters light.
You’re going to be a science explorer!
Key Words
- frosted
- scatter
- translucent
Tap to Learn the Meanings!
- frosted: Glass or a surface that is roughened so you can’t see clearly through it.
- scatter: To spread light or objects in different directions.
- translucent: A material that lets some light through but you cannot see clearly through it.
Great job! You’re learning useful vocabulary about light and materials.
Translucent glass
Glass is usually transparent. It lets the light through.
You can read through transparent glass.
The arrows on these diagrams show how the light travels.
Sometimes glass is frosted or patterned to make it translucent. The light is scattered by translucent glass so it is harder to see through it. It is hard to read through translucent materials.
Translucent glass is useful when we don’t want people to see clearly through the glass. We can also make shadows on translucent materials.
Think like a scientist
Transparent or translucent?
Be careful if you are using glass.
Glass can smash and the sharp bits may cut you.
Sofia is testing different materials to see if they are transparent or translucent. You can test a material to see if it is transparent. Hold the writing on one side of the clear plastic. Can you look through the clear plastic and read the writing?
Transparent materials allow you to read the writing clearly.
Translucent materials do not allow you to read the writing clearly.
Look through the other materials and see if you can read the writing. Write your results in a table.
| Material | Prediction | Test |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking glass | transparent | transparent |
Were your predictions correct?
How am I doing?
If you wanted to make a sunshade, would you use an opaque or transparent material?
Which materials might make a good sunshade?