Here's why:
* Short vowel sound: The vowel sound in "black" is a short "a" sound, similar to the "a" in "cat" or "hat".
* Long vowel sound: A long vowel sound typically makes the vowel sound like its name (e.g., "a" in "ate", "e" in "me", "i" in "bite").
Therefore, "black" has a short vowel sound, not a long vowel sound.