Question

Glass is opaque to _________ radiation.

A. long-wavelength
B. short-wavelength
C. both short- and long-wavelength
D. neither short- nor long-wavelength
E. You can see through glass, so it is transparent to all radiation

Answer 1

Glass is transparent to visible light but opaque to ultraviolet radiation due to the higher energy of UV radiation that is absorbed by the material.

Step-by-step explanation:

Glass is opaque to certain types of electromagnetic radiation. It is transparent to visible light, which means it allows light that is detectable by the human eye to pass through. However, glass is largely opaque to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which has a higher frequency and energy than visible light. UV radiation has sufficient photon energy to be absorbed by the material, preventing it from passing through glass. As a comparison, X-rays have shorter wavelengths and higher energies than even UV radiation, and because of these properties, they can penetrate matter more deeply, including glass.