Question

how does a stained glass window alter the white light that passes through it
diffracting light
reflecting light
refracting light
absorbing light

Answer 1

A stained glass window alters the white light that passes through it primarily through **absorbing light** and **filtering light**. Here's how it works:

- **Absorbing light**: The colored pigments in the glass absorb certain wavelengths (colors) of light while allowing others to pass through. For example, a blue stained glass window will absorb most wavelengths of light except for blue, which it transmits.

- **Filtering light**: The process of absorption combined with the specific colors of the glass creates the beautiful colored light that shines through the window. This is not diffraction, which generally involves bending light around edges or spreading it out, nor is it reflection or refraction in a significant sense. While some light may reflect off the surface of the glass or refract (bend) slightly as it passes through the glass, the primary effect in stained glass windows is the absorption and filtering of specific wavelengths of light.

Thus, the correct answer, in the context of how stained glass affects white light, would be **absorbing light**.