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When a light wave bounces off something it is called?
Reflection is when light bounces off an object. Light reflects from a smooth surface at the same angle as it hits the surface. For a smooth surface, reflected light rays travel in the same direction. This is called specular reflection.
When light is absorbed by a surface it doesn’t bounce back?
When light is reflected from a rough surface, the waves of light are reflected in many different directions, so a clear image does not form. This is called diffuse reflection.
Why is light not able to pass through some of the materials?
Opaque objects block light from traveling through them. Most of the light is either reflected by the object or absorbed and converted to thermal energy. Materials such as wood, stone, and metals are opaque to visible light.
What happens when a light wave strikes an object?
When a light wave strikes the surface of an object, a variety of things can happen. One of these things is called resonance. When resonance occurs between a light wave and an object, the object absorbs the energy of that light wave.
Why does light bounce off of certain materials and not others?
The simple answer is that light is a wave and reflecting, bouncing off certain other materials while retaining the same wavelength…sometimes, is just what waves do. A more detailed explanation is that the energy in light, photons, activates the electrons in some materials, causing them to move and emit photons likewise.
What happens to light when it hits an opaque object?
Light waves travel out from their source in straight lines called rays. Rays do not curve around corners, so when they hit an opaque object (one that does not allow light to pass through it), they are blocked from reaching the other side of that object. We see a dark shadow in the area from which light is blocked.
When a light wave is neither absorbed or transmitted it is?
When a light wave is neither absorbed nor transmitted by an object, then it is reflected. Reflection is a change in the direction of a wave when it strikes a surface. Reflection can be specular (as in glossy or smooth-surfaced objects) or it can be diffuse (as in objects with rough surfaces).