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Light reflection is when light bounces off an object. This bouncing occurs because surfaces can either absorb or reflect light waves. The angle at which light hits a surface, also known as the angle of incidence, is equal to the angle at which it reflects off the surface, called the angle of reflection.
When light from a source like the sun or a streetlamp hits an object, the object's color is due to the light it reflects.

• A red car appears red because it reflects red light.
• If white light (a mix of all colors) hits a red car, only red light is reflected back to our eyes.

This is why the surface of any object can affect how we perceive its color. Each surface behaves differently depending on its texture and material, influencing light reflection and the resulting appearance of color.

Color absorption is the process by which an object takes in a specific range of colors from the light that hits it. Every object absorbs certain wavelengths of light and reflects others.
Consider a red car under yellow light, which is a mix of red and green light. When yellow light shines on a red car:

• The car absorbs the green wavelengths present in the yellow light.
• Red wavelengths are reflected, making the car appear red.

Color absorption is why a green piece of clothing looks different under a red bulb than in daylight. Understanding which colors are absorbed helps in predicting visible colors in different light conditions.

The visible spectrum consists of all the colors of light that the human eye can perceive. This range goes from violet to red, and each color corresponds to a different wavelength between about 380 nm to 750 nm.
Our eyes perceive colors based on the wavelength of incoming light. For example:

• Violet light has a short wavelength, around 380 nm.
• Red light has a longer wavelength, around 750 nm.

Since different light sources emit various parts of the visible spectrum, the color of objects can change with the light source. For instance, an object viewed in sunlight (containing the full spectrum) may appear different than under a neon light which might lack certain wavelengths. Understanding the visible spectrum allows us to predict how objects will appear under various lighting conditions.