how does light react when it collides with a red shirt?

Answer 1

When light hits a red shirt, several things can happen:

1. Absorption: The shirt absorbs certain wavelengths of light, particularly those corresponding to the color red. This means the red fabric takes in the photons of light and converts their energy into heat. Consequently, the red shirt appears red because it absorbs other wavelengths of light while reflecting or transmitting the red portion.

2. Reflection: Some of the incident light is reflected back from the shirt's surface. In the case of a red shirt, it reflects predominantly red light while absorbing the remaining colors from the incident light spectrum. This reflected light enters our eyes, allowing us to perceive the red color.

3. Scattering: Light can scatter from the surface of the shirt due to irregularities present in the fabric's structure. This scattering can occur in different directions, depending on the size and arrangement of the fibers. However, since red light has longer wavelengths, it tends to scatter less compared to shorter wavelengths like blue or violet. Hence, red light is less likely to scatter significantly.

4. Transmission: If the shirt material is transparent or semi-transparent, a portion of the light can pass through it, resulting in transmission. However, most red shirts are made of opaque fabrics, preventing significant transmission of light.

In summary, when light collides with a red shirt, the shirt absorbs some wavelengths of light, particularly non-red colors, while reflecting red light back to our eyes, making the shirt appear red to our perception.