# Explain why a material that appears red absorbs some colours of visible light but not others, and describe what happens to the energy of the absorbed light.

> Edexcel GCSE Physics (1PH0) — 4.1 Waves · Explain · 4 marks

> When white light, which contains all the colours of the visible spectrum, strikes the surface of a red object, the object appears red to an observer.

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. Only red light is reflected (by the surface of the object)
2. All other colours/frequencies of visible light are absorbed (by the object)
3. The frequency of those absorbed colours matches the energy levels of the electrons (in the material), so the electrons absorb the light energy
4. The absorbed energy is re-emitted over time as heat/thermal energy (rather than as light)

## Related

- [Revision notes for Edexcel GCSE Physics (1PH0)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
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