Some students consider light as only going from A to B like a wire stretching from A to B and/or consider light as having strands like a rope
Light, Sound and Waves
Misconception
These misconceptions are often fuelled by the ray diagram depiction of light.
Diagnostic Resources
The following worksheets may help to identify whether students hold this particular misconception.
For more information, see the University of York BEST website.
Resources to Address This
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How do we see? (11-14)
Ref - SPT Li01TL05
Right Lines:You are able to see as a result of light entering your eye. Light may come directly from a luminous source, or reflect off an object, or be scattered from particles and then enter the eye.
View Resource
References
The following studies have documented this misconception:
- Watts, D. M. () Student Conceptions of Light: A case study. Physics Education, 20, IOPScience,
183-187.
- Ramadas, J. and Driver, R. () Aspects of secondary students' ideas about light, University of Leeds Centre for Studies in Science & Mathematics Education.