Question

Do tires usually absorb, transmit, or reflect light waves? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Tires primarily absorb light. Commercial tires contain carbon black and dark pigments that absorb most visible and infrared wavelengths, and the rubber compound and thickness make them essentially opaque (so they transmit virtually no light). You still see a tire because a small fraction of the incident light is diffusely reflected from its rough surface (and glossy areas produce small specular highlights), but the dominant interaction is absorption — which is also why tires heat up in sunlight.