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Light absorption and color confuses me. Electrons absorb photon energy at certain frequencies, and the light that's not absorbed is reflected and that gives the color, but doesn't the energy get emitted again with the same frequency? So, the emitted and reflected photons would add together to give back the original color of the light rather than the object. Why doesn't that mean everything is the same color?
#physics #light #color
@2ck The bounce/reflection changes the frequency depending on material, different frequencies are perceived as different colors by the receptors in the eye. The absorbed photons turn into heat, the ones which gives partial energy to an atom will be reflected at a new angle. The average frequency of all photons reaching your eye determines color.