Do Different Colors Absorb Heat Better?
Students test whether the color of a material affects how much heat it absorbs. They leave ice cubes placed in boxes made of colored paper (one box per color; white, yellow, red and black) in the sun, and predict in which colored box ice cubes melt first. They record the order and time required for the ice cubes to melt.
On a summer afternoon, the black roof at left was measured to be 54ºF (30ºC) warmer than the white roof at right.Copyright Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy http://heatisland.lbl.gov/coolscience/cool-science-cool-roofs
The study of light and its behavior is an important component in the design of many items, everything from optical instruments to roofing materials to solar cells. The performance and characteristics of light guide engineers to come up with different forms of light detection for lenses in cameras, microscopes, CD players and medical devices. Different sources of light carry different quantities of energy. For example, powerful lasers can cut through stone or even metal.
- Certain colors absorb light better than others.
- The sun produces heat and light.
- Why ice cubes melt.
- (optional) The purpose of solar panels.