What happens to light when it hits something?

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I could be way off base with my original assumption, but if light is shined in space it travels straight forward indefinitely (in theory). But if it is shined on something, it illuminates that object then goes away. So what happens to the light particles/energy. I hope this makes sense, I am struggling to find the words for my question.

Just wanted to throw in an edit and say thank you for the responses. It was very informative and I greatly appreciate that!

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Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s either absorbed or reflected. If it is absorbed, it turns into a different form of energy or helps an atom move into a higher energy state. If reflected, it simply bounces off.

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