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scifi
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I'm trying to see if my understanding of why an object's color helps determine why it absorbs light is accurate. Any corrections would be welcome. Be gentle, I left school 30 years ago. :)1. Why do black objects absorb heat more easily than white objects?
Black objects absorb all wavelengths of visible light whereas white objects reflect all wavelengths of visible light. This light absorption causes the object to heat up.
2. Why do black objects absorb more wavelengths of visible light than white objects?
Black objects are composed of molecules whose atoms have protons or electrons in states that require less energy to move into higher energy states. Thus, it's easier for them to absorb energy than white objects whose molecules have atoms with protons or electrons that are already in higher energy states.
3. What does light absorption have to do with heat?
Heat is the average speed of atoms in a substance. Protons or electrons in higher energy states increase the speed of the atom. (really?? by vibrating more??)
4. Does a white object truly reflect light or simply re-emit it faster than a black object?
Photons don't bounce off of atoms. Rather, they are absorbed, raise the energy state of the protons or electrons in the atom, which either quickly drop back to their lower energy state (reflected) or retain that higher energy state for some time (absorbed). Thus, mirrors don't actually reflect light, they absorb photons and re-emit them rapidly rather than retain the energy.
5. If a photon lacks the energy to raise a proton's or electron's energy state, what happens to it when it hits an atom?
I do not know. :)
Black objects absorb all wavelengths of visible light whereas white objects reflect all wavelengths of visible light. This light absorption causes the object to heat up.
2. Why do black objects absorb more wavelengths of visible light than white objects?
Black objects are composed of molecules whose atoms have protons or electrons in states that require less energy to move into higher energy states. Thus, it's easier for them to absorb energy than white objects whose molecules have atoms with protons or electrons that are already in higher energy states.
3. What does light absorption have to do with heat?
Heat is the average speed of atoms in a substance. Protons or electrons in higher energy states increase the speed of the atom. (really?? by vibrating more??)
4. Does a white object truly reflect light or simply re-emit it faster than a black object?
Photons don't bounce off of atoms. Rather, they are absorbed, raise the energy state of the protons or electrons in the atom, which either quickly drop back to their lower energy state (reflected) or retain that higher energy state for some time (absorbed). Thus, mirrors don't actually reflect light, they absorb photons and re-emit them rapidly rather than retain the energy.
5. If a photon lacks the energy to raise a proton's or electron's energy state, what happens to it when it hits an atom?
I do not know. :)