W h at is a Flashlig h t A flashlight is a device that makes light It contains batteries that produce electricity to light up the bulb Flashlights are small and lightweight and are easy to carry around Flashlights are particularly useful for seeing outdoors at night Campers use them in their tents and around the campsite Security guards and the police use them to search dark and shadowy places A flashlight gives a single beam of light Some flashlights give a stronger light than other flashlights Kinds of flashlights Flashlights are different shapes depending on how they are used A headlamp is fixed to a headband It points exactly where you are looking and leaves both of your hands free Spelunkers for example use headlamps to explore caves and tunnels underground 6 Spelunkers often have to crawl along narrow dark tunnels A headlamp is the best kind of flashlight to light their way
On your bike Cycle lights are a kind of flashlight too Cyclists should have cycle lights fitted to the front and back of their bicycles Some cycle lights flash on and off so the drivers of motor vehicles can see them more easily When it is dark cycle lights help other people to see the cyclist LED flashlights Most flashlights use a bulb that is a smaller version of a traditional light bulb An LED flashlight uses a light emitting diode which gives a brighter light than a traditional bulb It also uses less energy which means the batteries last longer Flashlights vary in size as well as shape Bigger flashlights use more powerful batteries than smaller flashlights The experiments in this book use a flashlight to explore light shadows and other aspects of science including electricity They will work best in a dimly lit room using a powerful flashlight that gives a strong light 7
