All experiments
Science · Ages 6+
Shape From Shadow
Guess the shape from its silhouette.
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What is this experiment about?
When light is blocked, it leaves behind a shadow — a solid black outline of whatever blocked it. Look closely at each silhouette's outline and guess which shape made it.
Questions kids ask
- Why does a shadow look solid black with no detail?
- A shadow forms where light is completely blocked, so no light bounces back from that area to show color or texture — only the outline survives.
- Can two different shapes make the same shadow?
- Sometimes! From certain angles, different 3D objects can cast very similar-looking shadows — which is part of what makes shadow puzzles tricky.
- Does the size of a shadow always match the object?
- Not exactly — a shadow can look bigger or smaller than the real object depending on how close it is to the light source.
