When light hits a dark or opaque object—like a black asphalt road on a sunny day—it doesn't come back. The material "soaks up" the light energy and converts it into heat. This is why a black t-shirt feels scorching in July while a white one stays cool; the black fabric is an energy sponge. 2. Reflection: The Great Rebound
This is . It’s the reason a straw looks broken in a glass of water and how camera lenses focus light to snap a perfect photo. It’s even responsible for rainbows, as raindrops act like tiny prisms that bend and split white light into a spectrum of colors. When light hits a dark or opaque object—like
If light hits a smooth, shiny surface like a mirror or a still lake, it bounces off at the exact same angle it arrived. This is . It’s the reason you can see your face in the morning or why the moon glows (it's just sunlight bouncing off the lunar dust). Without reflection, the world would be invisible to us! 3. Refraction: The Speed Bump It’s even responsible for rainbows, as raindrops act