Water and diamonds for instance are transparent while graphite is not?

[triac]

This one has also puzzled me for quite some time.
How come that glass, water and diamonds for instance are transparent while for example graphite is not?
Furthermore, since the light travels at lower speed in glass and in water than it does in vacuum, it must mean that the photons interact with the material (colloquially referred to as "bouncing" on the electron as what I've heard). However, if the photons interact with the material, how can they preserve the angle with which they entered the glass, water or whatever it might be? Why isn't the picture just blurred out?
I'd like to get rid of this ignorance of mine.

 

[LightHero]

The answer lies in the atomic structure of the materials. Glass, water and diamond are all composed of molecules or atoms that are arranged in a lattice-like pattern. The atoms in these materials are spaced relatively far apart, so the photons can pass through them without being significantly scattered or absorbed. Graphite, on the other hand, consists of tightly bound layers of carbon atoms. The photons interact with the electrons in the tightly packed carbon atoms, causing them to be scattered in many directions. This is why graphite is not transparent. As for preserving the angle with which the photons enter the glass, water or diamond, this is due to the fact that the photons do not interact with the material very strongly. They have enough energy to pass through the material without being significantly scattered.

 

[astrokreng]

I can provide some insight into this phenomenon. The transparency of materials, such as water and diamonds, is due to their molecular structure and the way they interact with light. In these materials, the atoms are arranged in a way that allows light to pass through without being absorbed or scattered.

On the other hand, graphite is made up of layers of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. These layers are stacked on top of each other, creating a structure that does not allow light to pass through easily. Instead, the light is absorbed and scattered by the layers, giving graphite its opaque appearance.

The reason why the angle of light is preserved when it passes through transparent materials is due to the fact that light is made up of particles called photons. These photons interact with the electrons in the material, but they are not absorbed or scattered in the same way that they are in opaque materials. Instead, they are able to pass through without changing direction, allowing us to see objects on the other side.

It is also worth noting that the speed of light in a material, such as glass or water, is slower than in a vacuum because the photons are constantly interacting with the atoms and molecules in the material. This interaction slows down their movement, but it does not change the direction of the light.

I hope this helps to clear up some of your confusion about the transparency of materials. It is a fascinating topic and one that scientists continue to study and explore.