the physics of light ?? white thing's and transparent things what is it that makes us see the differences?????

Question

i know that white things reflect all the spectrum of visible light and transparnt things let it all pass thrugh but if our eyes receve the whole spectrum from each whats the difernce becouse there is no absorbance of light from eather so why do we not see transparnt things a white or white things as transparnt ??

so then how dose the reflected light give a couler and the light that is oly refracted not ??? a mirror that reflects light so why is that not wight ???

Answer 1

That's a fascinating question, well put. Of course when we see light we are actually seeing photons of energy (traveling at the speed of light!) and to see color they must interact with three types of cones on the retina of the eye. When sunlight passes through air (transparent) it does not change the air to solid white because those photons are not directed to our eye. They must strike an object and be reflected to our eye. When the photons strike a white object (whipped cream?) a sample of all the photons of the sun's pure white light is reflected to our eye, stimulating all three type cones equally and we see white. A colored object may absorb all photons except 'red' photons and we see red which is reflected. Photons can interact with the electrons orbiting atoms and molecules which may absorb some photons while letting others pass through or become reflected to our eyes. Clear glass (and air) allow all (or most) photons to pass through unchanged (neither absorbed nor reflected). If the photons are captured by electrons (in the glass) they are also released unchanged, except their path may be increased (refracted) causing a lens effect if the glass is properly shaped.

Answer 2

We see transparent things because of the residual reflections from the surface. They are not completely transparent. If you use a light meter you will see that, some materials more than others, and at varied frequencies. Thickness has a lot to do with it. Look at the plastics and glass specifications in greenhouse tech books to get a good idea of ratings.
Now, what will really blow you away? Look at this web site below, and near the end check out the section on an invisibility phenomenon. Can you see the implications if it is true?

Answer 3

If you look at something perfectly transparent, no light from your side of the object will be reflected, all you will see is light from the other side of the object. If you look at something perfectly white, then all light from your side of the object will be reflected, but in a diffused way so that you cannot determine the light source. If you look at something perfectly reflective then you will see lighted reflected so perfectly that it will be as if you were looking directly at the various light sources.

In principle there is no difference between a light which is reflected and a light which is transmitted. However your brain is very good at spotting the tell-tale signs based on experience. If I shine a torch at a white surface my brain will tell me that it is light reflecting off a white surface, and not a light source. One of the key differences would be that a light source would normally have a sharp contrast to its surroundings, whereas reflected light will have a softer outline. Certain things can fool your brain of course: shining a torch through a white translucent material can look very much like reflected light, and a sharp-edged white disc painted on a perfectly black background can look like a light source.

Interestingly, television relies on both the brain's ability to decode the light it receives AND the fact that you can fool it (since it's actually a light source but the brain decodes it as if it was reflected light),

Answer 4

The white color of a sheet of paper for example comes from the diffuse scattering of white light. Transmission through a transparent object is high and thus the object looks transparent, not cloudy or milky white. A mirror is a case of a clear reflection and a transparent glass is a case of a clear transmission. White objects are basically opaque but reflect light in a diffuse manner. Snell's laws of reflection and refraction are obeyed in the case of mirrors and lenses, prisms etc., but not for ground glass, frosted glass etc. Scaterring does not follow Snell's law.

Answer 5

Transparent objects don't affect the light that affects on them: the individual rays of light keep their original direction.

White objects scatter the light in all directions, so no image remains.

Another point, of course, is that when you look at a transparent object, you are seeing the light from behind it. When you look at a white object, you are seeing the light from above or from your own position, that has bounced off the object.

Answer 6

One reflects the entire spectrum, and one allows the entire spectrum to pass through it.

Answer 7

What you see as white is REFLECTING the light. What you see as transparent is TRANSMITTING the light. Materials vary in the ratio of light they transmit over reflect, and it varies with frequencies (colors).

Answer 8

because the light is splitt up into the diffferent colours of the light spectrum due to the differences in frequency and wave length. (i think)

Answer 9

Where did u heard this news? :O