Reflection varies with the type of material. Polished metal reflects most of the light that falls on it, absorbs only a little, and transmits practically none. Paper is made up of partly transparent fibers. Light striking paper may penetrate several fibers, being partly reflected at each surface. The light that finally reaches your eyes and lets you know you are looking at paper has been reflected and transmitted many times. All the rest of the light has been absorbed and added to the heat energy of the molecules of the paper. Most materials are quite selective in the way they absorb and reflect the different wavelengths of light. A purple dye will transmit blue and red light but will absorb green light. Gold and copper metals reflect red and yellow wavelengths more strongly than blue. Silver reflects all colors and therefore appears almost white. Metallic reflection is an example of pure surface color. Nearly all "object colors" are due to selective reflection and absorption of light. Object colors are an attribute of the object, though the color seen at any time depends also on the color of the illumination. Total absorption of light makes an object look black . . . . Reflected light reveals the color and texture of woven cloth. What we normally consider as reflection involves selective absorption, selective reflection and refraction of light that partially penetrates the surface. [pg. 40]
[Light and Color, by Clarence Rainwater, Prof. of Physics, San Francisco State College, Original Project Editor Herbert S. Zim, Golden Press, NY, Western Publishing Company, Inc., 1971.]