Final answer:
A purple object appears black through a colored filter due to the absorption of all light wavelengths by the filter and the object, preventing the purple light from being reflected back to the observer.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a purple object appears to be black when viewed through a colored filter, it is likely because the filter is absorbing all wavelengths of light that the object would reflect. In physics, this phenomenon is explained by the concept of absorption. A purple object normally absorbs all colors of light except purple, which it reflects. If a filter, like a blue filter, is placed in front of the object, it will absorb all visible light that is not blue. Therefore, if the object is purple, it will not reflect any purple light since purple is not present in the light passing through a blue filter. As a result, the object will appear black as it is absorbing all the light and not reflecting any visible wavelengths back to the observer.