Eli5: What chemical or molecular properties of a material cause it to be transparent
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It cannot scatter, absorb, or reflect light.
Absorption happens because something somewhere in it can vibrate easily at the frequency of the light. Could be electrons, or the molecule shape itself, or even the spacing between the molecules.
Reflection happens when the electrons, instead of vibrating, can move freely fast enough to move with the light, and this absorbs and reemits the light. This makes metals the most common reflective surface.
Scattering happens, usually, when a surface is uneven. Sugar, salt, or ground glass scatter light and so are not transparent. By making them smooth and removing voids they can become transparent again.
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