3 ms·
Dark surfaces radiate the minimum amount of heat, though. A perfectly black body will absorb all incoming radiation and re-emit it back by a Boltzmann distribut
by iwwr 16y ago
Dark surfaces radiate the minimum amount of heat, though. A perfectly black body will absorb all incoming radiation and re-emit it back by a Boltzmann distribution (according to its temperature). Less than perfect surfaces would reflect some the incident light/heat; if they reflect at the same constant or regular angle, we recognize it as 'shiny', while if it's a random angle, our eyes recognize it as matte/solid white.
- jarek 16y agoWhile you are correct, in the case of dark pavement with patches of snow lying on top, conduction will be a far more prominent transfer mode than radiation. (Although neither will be really large, and I think the blinding effect from a light pavement would be a more important issue here.)