When light particles, called photons, strike a translucent surface they are scattered and bounce around in the material before exiting. Scientists use translucent materials to trace the path of photons as they are scattered in the material. Light particles bouncing around produce a diffused appearance to the human eye. This behavior of photons is called bidirectional surface scattering distribution function. Scientists can learn about how light travels by observing how photons are scattered by different shapes of translucent surfaces.
Spectroscopy is the study of how radiation interacts with matter. Scientists observe translucent materials to determine their chemical make-up. Particles of matter, or molecules, absorb or reflect photons according to their chemical composition. Chemical composition is determined by which wavelengths of light are absorbed versus the wavelengths of light photons that bounce around in the translucent material and then eventually escape. The science is called transmittance spectroscopy. Astronomers can also determine the chemical composition of translucent dust clouds in the universe using spectroscopy.
The efficiency of photovoltaic roof tiles and solar window panels is greatly increased with the addition of a translucent film of amorphous silicon. Solar energy is used to create electricity because photons from sunlight pass into translucent materials on the surface of a solar cell where they bounce against electrons and knock them loose. The freed electrons travel through the materials to circuits connected to the panels. The translucent material slows down the photons once they enter the material, which makes it possible to capture more energy.
Nanogels, also called aerogels, are translucent gels created by replacing the fluid in a gel with a gas. The resulting gel material is an extremely lightweight material that can withstand intense heat, great pressures and still allow a soft diffused light to enter a room. Scientists created this highly porous material in the 1930s, but until recently the material was extremely cost-prohibitive for commercial use. New technology to mass-produce translucent nanogels has lowered production costs. Skylights that allow soft diffused light to pass through the material while keeping out heat are available for use in homes and businesses. The result is a sunlit room without the harshness of bright sunlight.