Why are things transparent?

Question

Why can light pass through some things and not others?

Answer 1

so that you can see through them.lol

Answer 2

Every atoms has the capacity to absorb some photon of very specific frequency. Those photons are absorbed and the energy re-emitted, sometimes with a different frequency.

However, there are some compounds that will not feature much of an absorption capacity for frequencies that correspond to visible light.

This is a phenomenon that exists in other form for other frequencies, like radio waves that manage to get inside a house (so you can listen to radio) but would be blocked by a metal cage (which is why car radio antenna have to be put outside).

Answer 3

well when u see some thing like for example a book it the the atoms of the book that are reacting with photons or light that make the book look like it is. so when u see something transparent for example water its the atoms inside that are reacting with the oncoming photon beams that make the water look transparent. If u looked at water through x ray u would see that it isnt transparent same with x ray and radio waves. So its how u look at things that make them look like what they are.