Wet materials like paper and cloth exhibit transparency due to the refraction of light through water, which fills the porous structure of these materials. When water saturates thin, porous materials, it reduces light scattering by filling in microscopic gaps, allowing light to pass through more effectively. This phenomenon is not universal to all wet materials but is particularly relevant for those that are thin and highly porous. The transformation to a transparent state occurs because the water layer minimizes reflections and enhances light transmission.
PREREQUISITESStudents of physics, material scientists, and professionals in optics or design who are interested in the properties of materials and their interactions with light.
gsal said:This does not happen to ANY wet materials...you immediately narrowed this down to thin, very porous materials like paper and cloth...
dotancohen said:Many materials, such as paper and cloth, are transparent when wet. Of course I understand that water is transparent, but why does a non-transparent material become transparent when something is _added_ to it? If there is some material that blocks the path of the photons, how does adding yet another layer make it suddenly not block them?