Which object is most likely to be transparent, allowing light to pass through?

Which object is most likely to be transparent, allowing light to pass through?

• A. a window
• B. a plaster wall
• C. a steel beam
• D. a mirror

Answer: (A)

Transparency means light can pass through a material with little absorption or scattering, so you can see through it. Glass, like what a window is made of, is designed to let visible light pass, letting you see outside while staying indoors. The plaster wall is thick and opaque, absorbing and scattering most light so you can’t see through it. A steel beam is metal and reflects or absorbs light, not transmitting it. A mirror has a reflective surface that bounces light back, so you don’t see through it. So the window is the best example of a transparent object.

Transparency means light can pass through a material with little absorption or scattering, so you can see through it. Glass, like what a window is made of, is designed to let visible light pass, letting you see outside while staying indoors. The plaster wall is thick and opaque, absorbing and scattering most light so you can’t see through it. A steel beam is metal and reflects or absorbs light, not transmitting it. A mirror has a reflective surface that bounces light back, so you don’t see through it. So the window is the best example of a transparent object.