What makes darker colors absorb more heat than lighter colors?

Dark and Light Colors absorbing Heat

White light is a mixture of colors. When white light strikes a dark object little or no energy is reflected. When white light strikes a white object the energy is mostly reflected, not absorbed.

When we see objects, we see them due to light being reflected off the object into our eyes. The light that is reflected back gives us the image. For example- when you look at a green plant- all the colors are being absorbed except for green. the green light is reflecting off the plant and bouncing into your eye.

Dark colors appear dark because they reflect less light. Light colors reflect more which is why they appear brighter.

Because they reflect less, the light that they don't reflect is absorbed into the material.

Light causes heat.

This is why you shouldn't wear black in summer because you'll get too hot, astronauts wear silver/white suits because the sun would fry them, and polar bears have black skin under their white fur so that they stay warm in the snow.

Answer

This is a very complex subject. A simplified answer is the more reflective a surface is, the less it will absorb the light rays that generate heat (infared radiation). Something white, like copyier paper, usually around 87 to 90 brightness, reflects 87 to 90% of incoming light. Therefore it won't heat up as fast as something like black paper used in art class etc. The black paper reflects 2 to 5%. The difference turns into heat energy.

First answer by Eric M Jones. Last edit by Nirel. Contributor trust: 670 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 8 [recommend question]