Final answer:
The extent to which drinks absorb light depends on their composition and the wavelengths of light they reflect and absorb. Drinks that appear colored do so because they selectively absorb certain wavelengths, while FIGURE E1 indicates light absorption quantitatively for water. The absorption characteristics of an object, such as color and temperature responses, are determined by this interaction with light.
Step-by-step explanation:
The absorption of light by different substances, such as the drinks in question, involves the interaction between light waves and the particles within those substances. The degree to which a drink absorbs light depends on its composition and the wavelengths of light that it encounters. For example, a drink that appears blue does so because it reflects blue light and absorbs other wavelengths. Conversely, a yellow drink appears yellow because it reflects red and green light, absorbing blue.
The absorption rate is expressed in reciprocal meters, essentially describing how far light can travel through the substance before its intensity is reduced significantly (by about 37%). A drink that absorbs more light would have a higher absorption rate, indicating that light would not penetrate as far into the substance as compared to a drink with a lower absorption rate.
Color perception also ties into light absorption characteristics. A white object, reflecting all visible wavelengths, will appear white under white light, whereas a black object, absorbing all wavelengths, will appear black. Thus, the color and temperature response of an object, like the drinks in question, can be determined by how it absorbs various wavelengths of light.