Re: Why do dark colors absorb more light than lighter colors?

Hi Allison,
This is in regard to your question about why dark colors absorb more light.
The answer is something like this..
All objects absorb radiation (energy)in nature. Light is also a form of 
radiation (energy). When white pure light falls on an object the object 
absorbs a part of it.... and reflects a part of it. When all the light 
incident on the object is reflected then we get to see white color. When 
all the light incident is absorbed we see the object to be colorless (or 
in other words black). So scientifically black is not a color. It is the 
absence of all colors. Now "How do we get different colors then?" 
Let us take the example of yellow color. When white light falls on a 
yellow object the object will absorb all colors (that is violet, indigo, 
blue, green,orange and red) but not yellow. So yellow is reflected from 
its surface.
Now as radiation is energy the  more the amount of light absorbed the more 
it will heat the body.
White absorbs the least energy and will be heated the least. Pale colors 
have more of white in them and hence they too reflect most of the light 
falling on them. The opposite happens for dark colors. They absorb the 
most energy and hence get heated fast.
Hope you have understood what I am trying to say. If not E-Mail me at 
"nauzad@cheerful.com" and tell me what exactly you have not understood. I 
shall try my best to explain.
Nauzad Tantra.