Final answer:
An object's color is defined by the light it reflects and absorbs. Pigments in the object determine which wavelengths of light are absorbed and which are reflected, leading to our perception of color. The color can look different under various lighting conditions due to this interplay of absorption and reflection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The color of an object is determined by the light it reflects and absorbs. White light contains the full spectrum of colors—represented by ROYGBV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet)—and when it falls onto an object, certain wavelengths are absorbed while others are reflected. The reflected wavelengths are the colors we perceive with our eyes. For example, a red object appears red because it absorbs all other colors except red, which it reflects.
Pigments in an object will absorb specific wavelengths of visible light and reflect or transmit the rest. If pure red light shines on a blue object, the object will appear black because it absorbs the red wavelengths and has no blue light to reflect. Understanding pigments is crucial as they are responsible for the selective absorption and reflection of light, hence determining the color of objects.
When an object absorbs certain wavelengths, it will often reflect the complementary colors. For example, absorption of 420-430 nm light renders a substance yellow because the complementary color to the absorbed blue light is yellow. The perceived color of an object can also change under different lighting conditions due to this absorption and reflection behavior.