Conceptual Physics (12th Edition)

Published by Addison-Wesley
ISBN 10: 0321909100
ISBN 13: 978-0-32190-910-7

Chapter 26 - Think and Explain - Page 501-502: 61

Answer

Glass is opaque to light of frequencies that match its own natural frequencies.

Work Step by Step

This is because of resonance. The electrons in glass oscillate with much larger amplitudes when driven at their resonant frequencies, and hold onto this energy for a relatively long time. This results in energy transfer to neighboring glass atoms in the form of thermal energy rather than a re-emission of light.
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