What best explains the process of absorption of light by a black surface?

The absorption of light by a black surface can best be explained by the absorption of all visible wavelengths. When light strikes a black surface, it does not reflect or transmit light effectively. Instead, the surface absorbs nearly all the visible wavelengths of light that hit it. This characteristic is what makes black surfaces appear dark to our eyes, as they do not reflect significant amounts of light back to the observer.

Unlike reflective surfaces, where light bounces off and creates brightness, a black surface converts the energy from absorbed light into heat, thus warming up more than lighter-colored surfaces. This property of black materials to absorb a wide spectrum of visible light explains why they tend to become warmer than other colors when exposed to sunlight or bright lights.

The other choices pertain to different phenomena that do not apply to the absorption characteristics of a black surface. For instance, reflection involves bouncing back light without absorption, while transmission refers to allowing light to pass through a material. Diffraction involves the bending of light waves around obstacles or through openings, which is unrelated to a surface's color or its ability to absorb light.