What happens to light when it interacts with matter?

When light interacts with matter, it can undergo several phenomena, including reflection, refraction, and absorption. Reflection occurs when light bounces off a surface, allowing us to see images, as in mirrors. Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, which changes its speed and direction, explaining why objects appear distorted in water. Absorption entails light being taken up by the material, transforming its energy, which can cause the material to heat up or change in other ways, such as color change in some substances.

These interactions are fundamental to many applications, ranging from the basic principles of vision to complex technologies involving optics. In contrast, the other options do not capture the true nature of light's interaction with matter. For instance, light does not travel faster when interacting with matter; its speed changes depending on the medium but does not exceed the speed of light in a vacuum. Light also does not disappear; instead, it interacts with materials in various ways. Lastly, while light can change color upon interacting with matter (due to absorption or scattering), this is just one of many possible interactions and not a guaranteed outcome of shining light on matter. Thus, the most comprehensive answer is that light is reflected, refracted, or