Translucent Vs. Transparent: Light Difference Facts Simplified For Kids

An object can be of any nature; it can be transparent, translucent, and even opaque.

The visibility of the object and the exact amount of light that can pass through it depends on the material of the medium. This is only true for transparent or translucent materials.

When light falls on an opaque substance, some part of it is absorbed, and the rest is reflected. It can diffuse well when it reflects off a white wall. This property is seen in mirrors.

It absorbs, reflects, and scatters all kinds of lights. An opaque material is anything through which you cannot see anything. A mirror is an example of an opaque object with transparent glasses.

The reflection that we see in the mirror is inverted. Red cellophane is transparent. We do not see inverted images in the case of transparent or translucent materials.

If the appearance of the objects is not clear, then the object might not actually be transparent; instead, it is said to be translucent. Translucent material allows light to pass, but the light scatters while passing through it. The details of the object on the other side are not clear, unlike transparent mediums.

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What is the difference between translucent and transparent?

The ability of a light source to pass through an object defines its transparency or translucency. Even though an opaque object can be easily distinguished from a transparent body, drawing a comparison between transparent vs. translucent can sometimes get complicated.

Transparent objects can allow light to pass through them; it has the physical properties to allow light through the materials and make the light less scattered. Translucent objects allow light to pass partially through the material; the objects on the other side of the materials are not clear but are vaguely visible.

Are sunglasses translucent?

Both transparent and translucent objects have innumerable practical uses in modern-day life. A sunglass, car windshield, or frosted glass shower door is an excellent example to understand the differences between translucent and transparent objects. A translucent glass is the best option for manufacturing such glasses.

The glass of a sunglass absorbs sunlight by some amount, and the light that reaches our eyes is more soothing. Even though some amount of light is observed, the objects are visible properly through the glass.

So they are not opaque. If transparent materials were used in the production of sunglasses, then light absorption would not have occurred since transparent materials cannot absorb any light.

However, at present transparent sunglasses with anti-glare lenses and anti-reflective properties are being manufactured. People wearing these clear lens sunglasses can see through them even at night.

Is a mirror transparent?

Some people may claim the mirror as a transparent object because you can see that it reflects an object completely when looking at a mirror. In reality, a mirror is a combination of transparent and opaque bodies that allow the reflection to reach you clearly.

A mirror can also be called opaque as the whole object does not allow the light to pass through it.

A mirror is an opaque object that does not allow any type of light to pass through it, unlike translucent or transparent objects. Since you cannot see through a mirror, it is an opaque medium.

If you think deeply, you will realize that the mirror does not let light pass through it; instead, it reflects all the light that falls on it. By the property of reflection, we can see our image in the mirror.

Why The Glass Is Transparent

When you touch a glass, it may appear solid, but in reality, glasses are not true solids. They practically do not have any grain boundaries in their molecules, and therefore, they appear transparent.

We know that generally, a solid is an opaque material through which lights cannot reflect. What makes glasses unusual is their property to reflect light through them despite being a solid substance.

In reality, glasses are supercooled liquids or amorphous solids in nature; the atoms and molecules of the substance are not organized randomly. So even if a glass is technically rigid, when light falls on them, their randomly arranged atoms become excited and reflect it.

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