Which process describes energy being absorbed rather than reflected or transmitted?

• A. Reflection
• B. Absorption
• C. Refraction
• D. Transmittance

Answer: (B)

Absorption is when energy is taken in by the material and converted into another form (usually heat or internal energy). The energy disappears from the incident beam as it interacts with the surface, rather than bouncing back or continuing through. Reflection is energy that bounces off the surface, and transmission (or transmittance) is energy that passes through the material to the other side. Refraction involves bending of the wave as it changes medium, not the amount of energy absorbed. So the process described—energy being absorbed rather than reflected or transmitted—is absorption. In the ocean, for example, certain wavelengths are absorbed by water, reducing light with depth.