What occurs when electromagnetic waves hit an object and the object absorbs the energy?

When electromagnetic waves hit an object and the object absorbs the energy, the process that takes place is known as absorption. During absorption, the energy of the electromagnetic waves is taken in by the material, which can then lead to an increase in the object's temperature or cause other changes in its physical properties. This phenomenon is crucial in various applications, including solar energy collection, where materials are designed specifically to absorb as much sunlight as possible to convert it into usable energy.

The other processes mentioned, such as reflection, transmission, and diffraction, describe different interactions of electromagnetic waves with materials. Reflection involves the bouncing back of waves when they encounter a surface, while transmission refers to the waves passing through an object without being absorbed. Diffraction describes the bending of waves around obstacles or the spreading of waves in space when they pass through narrow openings. Each of these processes highlights a different aspect of how waves interact with materials, but absorption specifically focuses on the uptake of energy by the object itself.