Black clothing -vs- White clothing

Woebot

Well-known member
Help resolve an argument my wife and I have been having for years:

OK it's reasonable to assume that white objects reflect light better, and that black absorbs it,

_BUT_

I always remember my physics teacher informing me that white objects, once warm, hold on to their heat much longer. This (apparently) was why people who lived in really hot climates wore black clothing not white clothing.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
Yup - black objects not only absorb heat better than white ones, they also radiate it better - so, as you say, they should lose heat more quickly. Ideally, radiators used for domestic heating would be black, as they'd be more effective, but most people probably wouldn't want black radiators for purely aesthetic reasons.

In physics parlance, the Sun is said to have a 'black-body spectrum' despite obviously being white hot.
 

zhao

there are no accidents
but only Michael Jackson can pull off white socks with black trousers and shoes
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
but only Michael Jackson can pull off white socks with black trousers and shoes

Michael Jackson mentioned in discussion of 'black (things) and white (things)' + no mention of skin colour >> DOES NOT COMPUTE
 

Guybrush

Dittohead
Can one calculate roughly how much a certain garment increase the body temperature? If a body completely covered in black cotton is measurably warmer than the same body completely covered in white, for example.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
I'd like to answer that but your avatar has had the same effect on me as did the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man on Egon Spengler; which is to say I am terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.
 

Guybrush

Dittohead
I'd like to answer that but your avatar has had the same effect on me as did the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man on Egon Spengler; which is to say I am terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.

Yeah, it sends out so many different signals at once. I still cannot decide if he looks genuinely happy, mischievous, or crazy.
 

Woebot

Well-known member
Yup - black objects not only absorb heat better than white ones, they also radiate it better - so, as you say, they should lose heat more quickly. Ideally, radiators used for domestic heating would be black, as they'd be more effective, but most people probably wouldn't want black radiators for purely aesthetic reasons.

In physics parlance, the Sun is said to have a 'black-body spectrum' despite obviously being white hot.

gulp. thanks for this mr. tea. blimey, hadnt considered that i might actually be right. ha! now all i have to do is confront the mrs. this could get bloody!
 
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