How much an object's ______ increases from light hitting it depends on the object's material and angle in which the light strikes its surface.

How much an object's ______ increases from light hitting it depends on the object's material and angle in which the light strikes its surface.

• A. Temperature
• B. Weight
• C. Size
• D. Color

Answer: (A)

Temperature is what changes when light energy is absorbed. When light shines on an object, some of it is reflected and some can be absorbed by the material. The absorbed energy goes into warming the object, so the more light the material absorbs, the more its temperature can rise. The material’s properties determine how much light is absorbed: dark, matte materials tend to absorb more energy than light, shiny ones. The angle of the incoming light also matters because it changes how much energy actually interacts with the surface; light hitting straight on (near perpendicular) tends to deliver more energy to the surface, while light striking at a glancing angle can be reflected more and absorbed less. So the temperature increase from light depends on the material and the angle of incidence.

Temperature is what changes when light energy is absorbed. When light shines on an object, some of it is reflected and some can be absorbed by the material. The absorbed energy goes into warming the object, so the more light the material absorbs, the more its temperature can rise. The material’s properties determine how much light is absorbed: dark, matte materials tend to absorb more energy than light, shiny ones. The angle of the incoming light also matters because it changes how much energy actually interacts with the surface; light hitting straight on (near perpendicular) tends to deliver more energy to the surface, while light striking at a glancing angle can be reflected more and absorbed less. So the temperature increase from light depends on the material and the angle of incidence.