Complete the sentences. Choose the answers from the box.
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When sunlight shines on a red flower, the red light is __________.
How to approach this question
Think about why an object appears a certain colour. An opaque object appears red because it interacts with the white light (sunlight) shining on it in a specific way. Does it absorb, emit, reflect, or refract red light?
Full Answer
The colour of an opaque object is determined by which wavelengths of light it reflects. Sunlight is white light, which is a mixture of all colours of the visible spectrum. When white light shines on a red flower, the surface of the flower absorbs all colours *except* red. The red light is reflected off the surface. When this reflected red light enters our eyes, we see the flower as red.
Common mistakes
✗ Choosing "emitted". The flower is not a light source; it does not produce its own light.\n✗ Choosing "absorbed". The flower absorbs the other colours, not red.
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