Why is the material transparent

Otherwise, it will just let the photon pass by,and it just so happens that in glass,the rows are so far apart that a photon of visible light can't provide enough energy for an electron to jump between them.Photons from ultraviolet light, on the other hand,give just the right amount of energy,and are absorbed,which is why you can't get a suntan through glass.This amazing property of being both solid and transparent has given glass many uses throughout the centuries.From windows that let in light while keeping out the elements,to lenses that allow us to see both the vast worlds beyond our planet,and the tiny ones right around us.