Which term describes a surface that reflects or absorbs all light that strikes it?

Which term describes a surface that reflects or absorbs all light that strikes it?

• A. Opaque
• B. Transparent
• C. Translucent
• D. Glossy

Answer: (A)

Light behavior on surfaces is about whether light passes through, reflects, or is absorbed. An opaque surface doesn’t let light pass through; all the light that strikes it is either reflected back or absorbed, so nothing gets transmitted to the other side. Transparent surfaces let light pass through so you can see through them, while translucent ones let some light through but scatter it so you can’t see clearly. Glossy describes how shiny a surface looks when it reflects light, not whether light can pass through. Because the statement describes a surface that stops light from passing through by reflecting or absorbing it, the best term is opaque.

Light behavior on surfaces is about whether light passes through, reflects, or is absorbed. An opaque surface doesn’t let light pass through; all the light that strikes it is either reflected back or absorbed, so nothing gets transmitted to the other side. Transparent surfaces let light pass through so you can see through them, while translucent ones let some light through but scatter it so you can’t see clearly. Glossy describes how shiny a surface looks when it reflects light, not whether light can pass through. Because the statement describes a surface that stops light from passing through by reflecting or absorbing it, the best term is opaque.