How Does a Shadow Work?

A shadow is like a friend who follows you when the light is blocked.

Imagine you're playing outside on a sunny day. There's a light source, like the sun or a lamp. When you stand in front of it, your body blocks some of that light from reaching the ground or wall behind you. The area where the light can’t go becomes darker, and that’s your shadow!

• A light source is needed, something that sends out light.
• An object (like you, a tree, or a toy) blocks part of that light.
• A surface, like the ground or a wall, shows where the shadow appears.

Think of it like this: If you're holding a flashlight and shining it on the wall, your hand in front of the light will make a dark shape on the wall, that’s a shadow!

If you move closer to the light source, your shadow gets bigger. If you step back, your shadow shrinks. It’s like when you stand close to a lamp and your shadow stretches across the floor, fun and surprising!