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(An experimental activity about shadows inspired on a cartoon)

A drawing by Gervasio Troche, depicting a father walking along with his daughter, shows a larger shadow for the girl. The image was used in a proposal for reconceptualization of experimental activities, as advocated by Hodson. The drawing was presented to optics high school students, and they should discuss their physical viability, and also build and test an experimental model based on the figure. A model was rebuilt and presented in this article, along with its algebraic formulation and the description of the educational activities. The activity was deemed motivational for students, as it allowed a greater understanding about the geometrical optics models and scientific practices.

Keywords:
shadow; optics; experiment; physics teaching; science teaching


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