How to paint wood laminate/veneer?

I have two cabinets I purchased from target a few years back. I'm not sure if they're veneer or laminate. They have a slick black surface with particle board in the center. How can I tell if they are laminate or veneer?





Sorry if that's dumb, but I really don't know the difference between the two.





And secondly, how can I go about painting these cabinets white without it looking horrible?How to paint wood laminate/veneer?
Veneer kind of looks like wood because it is, just a thin thin layer.


Here's how to do this:





How to Paint Laminate Wood Cabinets


http://www.ehow.com/how_4758549_paint-la鈥?/a>