Catch your shadow
You will mark your shadow at one-hour intervals from a fixed standing spot. Waiting is part of the challenge, and clouds can hide the shadow before your next mark.
- Science
- Explorer
- About 15 minutes
Help needed: yes for setup, nearby supervision and handling water or small items
What you need
- Chalk or a few small stones
- A sunny open spot selected by someone
- A helper
- A clock
The rule
Mark it once every hour.
How to do it
- Ask someone to choose a flat spot away from traffic.
- Mark one place for your feet.
- Stand there while the helper marks your shadow tip.
- Write the current time beside that mark.
- Return one hour later to the same foot position.
- Repeat the shadow-tip mark without looking at the Sun.
Why it works
Earth’s rotation makes the Sun appear to move across the sky. A shadow points away from the direction of the light, so its direction changes as that apparent position changes. The shadow’s length also depends on how high the Sun appears. The same person can therefore make different shadows without changing height. Keeping your feet at the same mark lets you separate a changing light direction from a simple change in where you stood.
Make it harder
- Collect a third hourly mark.
- Compare the lengths as well as the directions.
- Predict the next tip position before returning.
Ask Taz
- Why does a shadow point away from the light?
- Why is my shadow shorter at some times?
- Why do fixed feet help me compare the marks?
Before you start
The time estimate covers marking, not the hours between visits. A helper should supervise each return and avoid prolonged heat exposure. Missing cloudy observations are useful records too. Ask at dinner: “What would happen to your marks if you moved your starting spot each time you came outside?”
Taz is an AI and can be wrong, so check what matters. Read how safety works on Taz.
Show us yours
Film your hands and what you made, not your face or name. If you are under 18, ask a parent or guardian before posting anywhere else.
Common questions
Can we use what we already have?
Start with the listed household materials. Keep the basic setup small and choose suitable items before beginning. The stated time is an estimate, so let the observation decide whether you need longer.
What should we record?
Note the prediction, the result and the one thing you changed. Keeping those separate helps everyone discuss what happened without turning an activity into a competition.
Must the result be shared online?
No. A conversation at home is enough. If you choose to share, keep identifying details out and follow the privacy line above.
More to try
See all Taz Challenges, or look through the science labs. One place for every why. Start exploring at aitaz.com