What color reflects all colors?
Our eyes react to different shades of light, and what we determine as colors are different wavelengths of light. When we say an object is a certain color, it is because it is reflecting more of a certain wavelength light. For example red objects reflect "red" light, or light with a longer wavelength (lower frequency) better than other types of light. Dark objects tend not to reflect light very well at all, even if it reflects one color better than the other. White objects, tend to reflect all types of light equally well, and tend to reflect most of the light cast on it.
More Info:
www.sciencelearn.org.nz
What are your thoughts on this subject?
76 Comments
dick aspel
White is obviously the answer and yet it is not a colour and doesn't exist on the colour spectrum.
sharynwinick
Go into the dessert and wear a black outfit and see how cool it keeps you if it reflects light. Black absorbs and white reflects. For example you don't see too many black roofs on homes but pleanty of white ones!
JRW
sharynwinick, unfortunately, in hot climates (such as where I live) it is a modern fashion trend to have dark roofs increasing the need for more cooling.
The same applies to cars where, in hot climates, white keeps the interior many degrees cooler than 'fashionable' black.
Trevor Hiscock
sharynwinick, DESERT!
Trevor Hiscock
sharynwinick, DESERT!
Beaderlady
I learned, about 55 years ago, that white and black are not colors, but shades.
ukmcfry
Black doesn't actually absorb light.
Flavio
sharynwinick, dessert is what you eat after the main course. I think you meant desert, isn't it?
clgw
I thought white was the absence of color
Speedy
...my favorite non-color...
dlujanen
Tee Height, white reflecks and black absorbs...
dlujanen
white isnt a color its a shade ..
Neil L. Hoopes
White is more accurately the absence of color rather than not being a color.
Donna Smith
Missed it because I always thought White WAS NOT A COLOR
mamaduck50
White isn't a color. It's plain and bland like most of you😅😂😅
markfoster
Tee Height, vice versa
Chris Braun
Tee Height, I think you're confusing reflection with emission. A perfect blackbody is an ideal emitter, but it's also a perfect absorber. So while it will emit electromagnetic radiation better than white, it would be better if it had never been absorbed in the first place if you live in the desert.