Why does an object appear darker when wet?.

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In summary, the darkening of objects when wet is due to a combination of factors including surface roughness, refraction of light, and the creation of new frequencies when water and the object's surface interact. The main effect is the increase in refraction, resulting in a higher amount of light being absorbed and the object appearing darker.
  • #1
Kuiper83
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My Question is just that of the title of the thread;namely, why does something get darker when wet? Does it have to do with the refractive index of water? Or is it something else altogether? Thanks for you help!
 
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  • #2
The rough dry surface (say a road) scatters light all over because of the roughness. When it's wet the water is a much smoother surface and only reflects light in a much more straight way like a mirror. Your headlights won't scatter back toward you as easily. Same with a piece of rubber or wood.
 
  • #3
Antiphon said:
The rough dry surface (say a road) scatters light all over because of the roughness. When it's wet the water is a much smoother surface and only reflects light in a much straiter way like a mirror.

That was the answer I started to give (surface roughness). But I checked by Googling. Overwhelmingly, it seems that may not be the answer at all. It seems to be much more about water resulting in a higher amount of refraction rather than reflection.
 
  • #4
DaveC426913 said:
That was the answer I started to give (surface roughness). But I checked by Googling. Overwhelmingly, it seems that may not be the answer at all. It seems to be much more about water resulting in a higher amount of refraction rather than reflection.

Theres some truth to it; water can act a little like an antireflective coating but this is not the main effect. To see this, wet a polished surface like a tumbled stone. It won't get darker. Marble countertop if you have it in the kitchen and it's polished is easy to try.
 
  • #6
Absorption Frequencies!

I think there is an other reason for this phenomenon. When an object seems blue, it means that the frequencies of oscilations between molecules of that object are different from blue spectrum of light frequency and all other colors absorb except blue. If an object become wet, the forces between water molecules and that object, make new forces and these new forces make new frequencies. So there is more frequencies to absorb by that object and that object will appear darker.
 

1. Why does an object appear darker when wet?

When an object is wet, the water on its surface acts as a thin layer that absorbs and scatters light. This causes less light to reflect off the surface, making it appear darker.

2. Does the color of the object affect how dark it appears when wet?

Yes, the color of the object does affect how dark it appears when wet. Darker colors tend to absorb more light, making them appear even darker when wet.

3. Why do some objects appear darker when wet than others?

The material and texture of an object can impact how much light is absorbed and scattered when it is wet. Porous materials, like fabric or paper, tend to absorb more water and appear darker when wet compared to smooth, non-porous materials like plastic or metal.

4. Does the amount of water on the surface of an object affect how dark it appears when wet?

Yes, the amount of water on the surface of an object can affect how dark it appears when wet. The more water that is present, the thicker the layer of water will be, resulting in more light being absorbed and the object appearing darker.

5. Why does an object appear darker when it is only partially wet?

When an object is partially wet, the dry areas will reflect more light compared to the wet areas, creating a contrast and making the wet areas appear darker in comparison.

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