atomically speaking, how could glass, plastic, etc. be transparent?
2007-09-01 11:13:33 · 2 answers · asked by mr. answers 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
While atoms aren't 'transparent' so to speak they are much much smaller than the shortest wavelengths of light that we can see. Keep in mind that 99% of the mass of an atom is in the nucleus and an atom the size of the Houston Astrodome would have a nucleus the size of a pea. Glass, by the way, is technically a liquid so there's really nothing there to reflect or absorb light.
2007-09-01 12:24:02 · answer #1 · answered by kevpet2005 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Transparentcy is only determined by human experience. Glass is only tranparent because it allows the visible light spectrum through it's atomic structure. If we were a different species which a different "visible" spectrum, it glass might look as solid as the wall next to us.
2007-09-01 18:23:40 · answer #2 · answered by Patrick S 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋