What are spectral properties of pigments?

Pigments have spectral properties that tell us what colors they reflect and absorb, like a rainbow filter for paint.

Imagine you're playing with colored filters on a flashlight. Each pigment is like one of those filters, it lets certain colors pass through (reflects them) and blocks others (absorbs them). When light hits a red apple, the red part reflects back to your eyes, but the blue and green parts get absorbed, like invisible helpers cleaning up the other colors.

Think of white light as a mix of all the colors in a rainbow. When this light meets a pigment, it’s like a dance, only some colors stay to play, while others leave the party. The ones that stay are what you see!

For example, if you shine a white light on blue paint, the blue part stays and bounces back, making the paint look blue. Other colors get absorbed, just like when you put on sunglasses and everything else gets dimmer.

So next time you see a colorful picture or a shiny fruit, remember, it’s all about how pigments reflect and absorb different colors from light!