Final answer:
We see a book because light is reflected from its surface into our eyes, where it is then focused by the lens onto the retina. The retina converts light signals into nerve impulses that the brain interprets as images.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best explanation for how we see a book is B. Light is reflected from the book and into our eyes. This reflection is similar to how a camera captures an image or how a mirror reflects light. When light from an external source, such as a lamp or the sun, shines on a book, some of that light is reflected from its surface. Our eyes capture this reflected light and form an image. In the case of a book, it does not produce its own light, nor does light typically pass through it to enter our eyes. Furthermore, a book doesn't absorb all light; it reflects the colors of the light that it does not absorb, which are the colors we perceive.
For instance, if a book cover is green, it means that the pigments in the cover are absorbing other wavelengths of visible light and predominantly reflecting the green wavelengths, which then reach our eyes. Inside our eyes, the lens helps to focus the reflected light onto the retina. The retina, which contains light-sensitive cells called rods and cones, then converts these light signals into nerve impulses that travel to the brain. Finally, the brain interprets these signals, allowing us to see the book as a cohesive image with specific colors and shapes.