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Changing Shadow Size

Warm, cozy bedroom at night: a 9-year-old child holds a small plastic dinosaur a few centimeters in front of a glowing desk lamp. Straight, faint light rays spread from the lamp past the toy. On the far wall, a much larger dinosaur silhouette stretches across posters. The real toy stays small in the child's hands. Calm, curious mood; no scary shadows.
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Big question

How does position change a shadow?

Moving an object closer to a lamp can make its shadow much larger on the wall. You will figure out why distance, not just the object's size, matters.

By the end

You will predict whether a shadow gets bigger or smaller when you change how far the object is from the light, and explain your prediction with a simple picture of light rays.

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