Light a Fundamental Force in our World: Shadow Collection excerpt

If asked what light is, one could say that it is one of the most basic elements of our world and our universe, as we perceive it. It is through sight that we receive ninety percent of our information.

It is through light that the energy from the sun is transferred to us. The sun's energy supports the food chain, plants use it to turn H2O and CO2 into energy usable by other organisms.

Solar energy is also used indirectly to produce all of the fuels that we consume daily.

Light can be produced in a variety of ways. Our sun, like other stars, uses nuclear fusion to produce energy in the form of light and radiation. We can produce light artificially using several methods. If one starts a fire, it produces light and heat. (Heat, which is infrared radiation, is another type of light energy.) The light and heat are a result of a chemical reaction, the combining of oxygen with carbon in the wood.