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A red object reflects red light and absorbs other colors of light. When white light shines on a red object, all the colors of the spectrum are absorbed by the object except for red, which is reflected back to our eyes.
If the light source is truly cyan, the red object should appear black. The object is red because it reflects the red portion of the white light spectrum. With no red wavelengths available to be reflected, the object will have a lack of color (i.e., black).
When white light shines on an opaque violet object, the object absorbs most of the colors in the white light spectrum except violet. The violet light is reflected off the object, making it appear violet to our eyes.
When white light shines onto a violet object, the violet part of white light reflects off of the object, causing you to see violet. White light it ROYGBIV, which is the colours of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). So white light IS the combination of ALL of these colours.
White light contains all the wavelengths of the visible spectrum at equal intensity. The different colors of light, except violet, are absorbed when white light shines on an opaque violet object. The violet color is reflected.
When red light shines on a red object, the object will reflect the red light and appear red. If white light shines on a red object, the object will absorb all colors except red, which it will reflect, making it appear red as well.
A "white surface" is one that reflects all colors of light. That's why it looks white when a white light shines on it, and that's why you call it "white". If only red light shines on it, then it looks red.
The object absorbs most colors in the white light spectrum except for red, which is reflected. This reflected red light is what we perceive with our eyes as the object's color.
The light from the sun, which is made up of equal parts of red, green and blue (even though it may not look it), will be reflected off of the white surface, staying white as the white surface reflects equal parts of red, green and blue.
When white light shines on a violet object, the object absorbs most of the wavelengths in the white light spectrum and reflects primarily violet wavelengths. This means that the violet object appears violet because it absorbs other colors and reflects violet.
Colored light can affect the appearance of objects by changing how the colors of the objects are perceived. When white light shines on an object, the object absorbs some colors and reflects others, which are what we see. If colored light shines on the object, it can alter the colors that are reflected and thus change how the object appears to the viewer.
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