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Name: Brian F.
Status: student
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 7/17/2003
Question:
Is an object that reflects no light whatsoever visible?

Replies:
Brian,

It all depends on what was surrounding it. If you put your black sphere near something that does reflect light (at various random wavelengths) you will surely see the sphere. You would see the sphere because it would block light waves that are being reflected from other materials that DO EMIT LIGHT.

Your eyes / brain would detect that it was, in fact, there since it is hindering other 'emissive materials' that are trying to get their light reflections to your eyes. My assumptions here are that your "sphere" has 0% light reflectance therefore it must have 100% light absorbance.

Darin Wagner


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