Final answer:
A red shirt appears red because it reflects red light, not because it absorbs it, so the statement is false.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that a red shirt absorbs red light is false. In reality, the color we perceive an object to be is typically the color of light that is reflected, not absorbed. For instance, a red shirt appears red because it absorbs other wavelengths of light and reflects the red wavelengths. If we illuminated a red shirt with only blue light, the shirt would actually appear black, because it does not reflect blue light. This is an application of the principles of how absorption and reflection determine an object's color. Objects appear different colors under different types of lighting because of this interplay between absorption and reflection.