How Does a Shadow Form?

Shadows happen when something blocks the light. Imagine you're playing with a flashlight in a dark room, if you put your hand between the light and the wall, your shadow shows up on the wall. That’s because your body is blocking some of the light from reaching the wall.

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Examples

Your hand blocks the flashlight on a dark wall, making your shadow appear.
A tree casts a shadow on the ground during the day because it blocks sunlight.
You stand between a lamp and a wall, your shadow shows up right there.

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Categories: Physics · light,shadow,optics