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General Science => General Science => Topic started by: CZARCAR on 30/09/2011 10:54:00

Title: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: CZARCAR on 30/09/2011 10:54:00: suppose its 85*f indoors- would I be better cooled wearing a white or black teeshirt?
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: neilep on 30/09/2011 12:23:26: I would say white...as it reflective of radiated heat whereas... the darker hue, absorbs and would be of benefit when it's colder.
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: peppercorn on 30/09/2011 12:37:40: Normal body temp is apparently 98.6°F (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_human_body_temperature).
So at 85°F ambient you'd be the radiating 'body' - so black is best.

None at all would be much better though!
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: CZARCAR on 30/09/2011 14:25:27: Quote from: peppercorn on 30/09/2011 12:37:40
Normal body temp is apparently 98.6°F (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_human_body_temperature).
So at 85°F ambient you'd be the radiating 'body' - so black is best.

None at all would be much better though!
But then theres the flip side called winter
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: CliffordK on 05/10/2011 18:22:11: Perhaps you need a T-Shirt that has knitting with black on the inside (to absorb body heat), and white on the outside (to reflect ambient heat).

White and black should radiate heat equally well.

Make the shirt reversible so you can flip it inside-out in the winter. [:)]
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: CZARCAR on 05/10/2011 18:34:12: Saw an Arab woman on tv wearing black sheet dress & wonderd & then figured she spent her time keeping house inddor & the black sheet dress kept her cooled
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: alvinsmith on 11/10/2011 09:33:57: I think it's not in the color, It's in the thickness of the clothes :D

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Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: CliffordK on 11/10/2011 13:49:14: If one is primarily concerned with absorption/radiation of infrared. Then one should ask how different colors affect infrared.

I believe that aluminum and silver-mylar does reflect IR. Do black and white colors also absorb/reflect IR similar to how they absorb/reflect visible light?

If I had an IR sensor, then the experiments would be easy to conduct using a simple heat source, and various colored papers or cloths.

Does your "birthday suit" count for staying cool?
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: peppercorn on 13/10/2011 18:11:45: Quote from: CliffordK on 11/10/2011 13:49:14
Does your "birthday suit" count for staying cool?

In my book it does! [:D]
Quote from: peppercorn on 30/09/2011 12:37:40
Normal body temp is apparently 98.6°F. So at 85°F ambient you'd be the radiating 'body' - so black is best.

None at all would be much better though!

You make a good point about infra-red - the question could be rephrased in terms of clothes that are black or white at I.R. frequencies.
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: neilep on 13/10/2011 18:56:37: Incidentally...I still think i am right !..I don't know why ( because I'm a sheep)..I just know I am !...so there !!!
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: CZARCAR on 14/10/2011 13:17:44: why is the heat dissipation grid on the back of my fridge painted black & the compressor also? woodstove2!
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: peppercorn on 14/10/2011 22:46:05: Quote from: CZARCAR on 14/10/2011 13:17:44
[then] why is the heat dissipation grid on the back of my fridge painted black & the compressor also? woodstove2!

Is this in reply to Neil?
A (if one were needed): it's hotter than it's surroundings, so black would seem sensible.
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: CZARCAR on 15/10/2011 00:39:18: BIRTHDAY SUIT= if god is perfect & created man, why black in africa & white in europe?
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: neilep on 15/10/2011 01:48:59: Quote from: CZARCAR on 15/10/2011 00:39:18
BIRTHDAY SUIT= if god is perfect & created man, why black in africa & white in europe?

Climate ?
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: neilep on 15/10/2011 01:49:59: Quote from: peppercorn on 14/10/2011 22:46:05
Quote from: CZARCAR on 14/10/2011 13:17:44
[then] why is the heat dissipation grid on the back of my fridge painted black & the compressor also? woodstove2!

Is this in reply to Neil?
A (if one were needed): it's hotter than it's surroundings, so black would seem sensible.

The only response to me that is required is "yes neil , You are of course correct" (even if I'm wrong) [;D]
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: neilep on 15/10/2011 01:50:54: Oh lookey !...I have broken my 21k posting !...I await my prize ! :-)
Title: Re: Are black or white clothes better for keeping cool indoors?
Post by: CZARCAR on 15/10/2011 15:27:57: what happens to gold when it hits 21K?