Why water making white matirials become transparent?

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SUMMARY

The phenomenon of white materials, such as paper or cloth, becoming partially transparent when wet is explained by the interaction of light with the material's surface. The rough surface of dry paper scatters incident light, preventing clear visibility. When water is applied, it fills the gaps between paper particles, creating a smoother surface. The refractive index of water is similar to that of paper, which minimizes reflection and allows the wet paper to behave like a transparent sheet.

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DaniV
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What the scientific explanation of the phenomenon that when you put water on white matirials such as paper or cloth they become partially transparent?
 
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The surface of the paper is rough, it scatters incident light. You see light both in reflection and transmission, but you do not see pictures, as the rays become disordered. Making it wet, the water fills in the holes among the paper particles and produces an even surface. The refractive index of the water is close to that of the paper, so the reflection between the water and the paper is minimised. The wet paper behaves like a transparent sheet.
wetpaper.JPG
 
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