What happens to the light intensity when the distance from the light source is halved?

When the distance from a light source is halved, the light intensity actually increases significantly due to the inverse square law of light. According to this principle, the intensity of light is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. This means that when the distance is halved, the new distance is (1/2) of the original, and thus, the intensity of the light at the new distance is proportional to (1/(1/2)^2), which simplifies to (1/(1/4)) or 4 times greater. Therefore, the intensity of the light actually quadruples when the distance is halved. This relationship explains why the correct answer reflects a quadrupling of light intensity in response to a reduction in distance from the source.