Task developed by Deb De Ridder, Knox Grammar School, 2013

Northern NSW da Vinci Decathlon SAMPLE

An academic gala day for years 7 and 8

Science

“Learning never exhausts the mind” ‘Leonardo da Vinci.

Session 1

Team Number _____________

2

Light and colour in art and the natural environment

Lady with an Ermine is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, from around 1489–1490. The subject of the portrait is identified as Cecilia Gallerani.

Leonardo da Vinci’s understanding of light and shadow was integral to his art. The early painters thought that white light had no colour. Da Vinci said that ‘a painter should begin every painting with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by light.’ Each of the photographs demonstrate a property of light. For each photograph record your observations and describe the property of light that it being illustrated through each demonstration

1. The prism (3 marks)

1. Record your observations

3

2. Describe the property of light demonstrated

2. “Coloured” light. (3 marks)

1. Record your observations in a table

2. Describe the property of light demonstrated

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3. Light passing through a medium

1. Record your observations

Describe the property of light demonstrated in 3.

5

Use the results from the experiments in 1-3 to answer the following questions. You must relate each answer to at least one of the concepts shown in the experiments.

1. Were the early painters correct in saying that white light had no colour? Give reasons. (3 marks) ___________________________________________________________________________

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2. Leonardo regularly used strong light and shadow in his paintings. What are shadows? (3 marks) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Explain why the sunset often appears red? (5 marks)You may use a diagram to help explain. ___________________________________________________________________________

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4. Would you expect objects to change colour at sunset? Explain. (5 marks)

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7

1. The Prism

White light is entering the prism from the right hand side.

Demonstration 3 - Colour and light

A red light was shone onto the surface of the following coloured pieces of plastic.

a. Red light on blue

8

b. Red light on yellow

c. Red light on green

9

Demonstration 3 - Light through a medium The first beaker contains water and a laser pointer is shone through the liquid. The second beaker contains a weak mixture of milk and water and the same laser pointer is shone through the liquid.