Wondering about how heat from light will travel

In summary: On the other hand, if the pieces are too large, then the heat will be dispersed more equally between the two jars.
  • #1
Thundagere
159
0
Let's say you take two metal objects, one black and one white. Out in the sun, the black will reach higher temperature in a given period of time.

Now, let's say I take two glass jars. One is of DARK glass (like, an apple cider or wine bottle), and one is clear. In the clear one, I place several black pieces of metal, in the dark one, nothing. Then, I place something like water inside both containers.
Which given amount of water will reach a higher temperature? The dark bottle will clearly absorb more than the clear one, but some of that heat will travel to the water. The rest will travel to the surrounding air. On the other hand, if one takes the clear container, the metal objects will absorb a large amount of heat and heat the water, and less will be dispersed to the atmosphere. Which method supplies the most heat to the water?
 
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  • #2
Thundagere said:
Let's say you take two metal objects, one black and one white. Out in the sun, the black will reach higher temperature in a given period of time.

Now, let's say I take two glass jars. One is of DARK glass (like, an apple cider or wine bottle), and one is clear. In the clear one, I place several black pieces of metal, in the dark one, nothing. Then, I place something like water inside both containers.
Which given amount of water will reach a higher temperature? The dark bottle will clearly absorb more than the clear one, but some of that heat will travel to the water. The rest will travel to the surrounding air. On the other hand, if one takes the clear container, the metal objects will absorb a large amount of heat and heat the water, and less will be dispersed to the atmosphere. Which method supplies the most heat to the water?
If you want to keep a building or car cool, do you put in clear glass or tinted glass?

In the case of tinted glass, where does the bulk of the energy from the sunlight accumulate?
In the case of clear glass, where does the bulk of the energy from the sunlight accumulate?
 
Last edited:
  • #3
So the clear one would result in a greater temperature increase?

On the other hand, the jars provide a larger target than the inner receptacle.

But since the jars allow light straight through, does that make a difference? I mean, the light needs something to focus off of to disperse any relevant heat...
 
  • #4
The clear glass/bottle would obiously collect a bit more heat, as DaveC426913 said do you put tinted or clear glass in your car? but other than that he provided your answer
 
  • #5
Well ... actually it depends on the sizes of the black metal pieces. If they are too small then the dark jar will collect more heat and conduct into the water inside than the dark metal pieces will collect and conduct into the water in the clear jar.
 

1. How does heat from light travel?

Heat from light travels through a process called radiation, where energy is transferred through electromagnetic waves.

2. Does all light produce heat?

Not all light produces heat. Only certain wavelengths of light, such as infrared and visible light, have enough energy to produce heat when absorbed by an object.

3. How does the color of an object affect the absorption of heat from light?

The color of an object affects the absorption of heat from light because different colors reflect and absorb different wavelengths of light. Darker colors tend to absorb more heat, while lighter colors reflect more heat.

4. Can heat from light travel through a vacuum?

Yes, heat from light can travel through a vacuum. This is because radiation does not require a medium, such as air or water, to transfer heat energy.

5. How can we control the amount of heat produced by light?

We can control the amount of heat produced by light by adjusting the intensity and wavelength of the light source. Different materials also have different abilities to absorb and retain heat, which can be manipulated to control the heat produced by light.

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