17.4 Light Waves Interact With Materials

Explanation
Light waves interact with materials. When light waves encounter a material, they can be absorbed, transmitted, or reflected. The interaction between light and materials is fundamental to various phenomena, such as refraction, diffraction, and scattering. Different materials have different properties that determine how they interact with light, such as their transparency, reflectivity, and refractive index. This interaction is the basis for how we perceive and study light, as well as how it is used in various applications such as optics, photography, and telecommunications.

Explanation
Light can be reflected, transmitted, or absorbed. When light is absorbed, it is taken in by a material or object, causing its energy to be converted into another form, usually heat. This absorption of light can occur when the photons of light are absorbed by the atoms or molecules of the material, causing them to increase their energy levels. This process is responsible for the colors we perceive, as different materials absorb different wavelengths of light, reflecting or transmitting only certain colors while absorbing the rest.

Explanation
The passing of electromagnetic waves through a medium is referred to as transmission. This process involves the propagation of the waves from one point to another without any significant loss of energy. Transmission occurs when the medium allows the waves to pass through it, without reflecting or absorbing them. It is an essential concept in the study of electromagnetic waves and is used in various applications such as wireless communication and fiber optics.

Explanation
Absorption refers to the disappearance of an electromagnetic (EM) wave in a medium. When an EM wave encounters a medium, its energy can be absorbed by the atoms or molecules in the medium, causing the wave to disappear. This absorption process can occur due to various factors, such as the interaction between the wave's electric field and the charged particles in the medium. As a result of absorption, the energy of the wave is converted into other forms, such as heat or chemical energy.

Explanation
The correct answer is transparent because when a building is transparent to radio waves, it means that the waves can pass through the building without being significantly blocked or absorbed. This allows the radio waves to be received inside the building, enabling communication and reception of radio signals.

Explanation
A lamp shade is an example of a translucent object because it allows some light to pass through it, but it scatters the light and makes it difficult to see the light bulb inside.

Explanation
The water is opaque to the light because the diver can no longer see the light on his boat. This suggests that the water is preventing the light from passing through it and reaching the diver's eyes, indicating that the water is opaque.

Explanation
When driving in fog, the light from the sun during the day gets scattered by the fog particles, making it more difficult to see clearly. This scattering effect causes the light to disperse in different directions, reducing visibility and making it more dangerous to drive. Similarly, at night, the light from the car's headlights also scatters in the fog, further impairing visibility. Therefore, both "scatters" and "scattering" accurately describe the phenomenon of light being dispersed in fog, leading to increased danger while driving.

Explanation
Polarization filters are designed to reduce glare by blocking certain types of light waves that are reflected off of surfaces. This helps to eliminate the bright, distracting reflections and allows for better visibility of objects. By selectively filtering out the polarized light, these filters enhance contrast and clarity, making it easier to see objects without the interference of glare.

Explanation
Wavelengths determine color. The different wavelengths of light correspond to different colors in the visible spectrum. When light interacts with an object, certain wavelengths are absorbed while others are reflected or transmitted. The wavelengths that are reflected or transmitted are detected by our eyes, allowing us to perceive different colors. Therefore, the varying wavelengths of light determine the color that we see.

Explanation
A prism is a tool that uses refraction to spread out the different wavelengths of white light.

Explanation
A red apple will absorb all colors of visible light except red because an object appears a certain color because it reflects that color of light and absorbs all other colors. In the case of a red apple, it reflects red light and absorbs all other colors, making it appear red.

Explanation
A green lime will reflect the color green because the color we perceive an object to be is the color that it reflects. In the case of a green lime, it absorbs all colors of light except for green, which it reflects back to our eyes. This is why we see the lime as green.

Explanation
The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue.