Light and heat

We know that when light hits an object it can be reflected or absorbed. We know that when we look at an object, the colour we see is the colour that is reflected. The other colours are absorbed or taken into the object.

What happens to the light that gets absorbed by an object?

The light that is absorbed by an object gets turned into heat. Look at the picture below. The child in the picture is wearing a black t-shirt. Black absorbs all of the white light that hits it and turns it into heat. Because of this, a black shirt will heat up quickly in sunlight. 

Let’s look at another picture. The child in the picture below is wearing white clothing. We know that white objects reflect all the white light that hits them. Since it reflects the light, a white shirt stays cooler than a black shirt. 

Note: If you are outside when it is sunny,  light coloured clothes will stay cooler than similar dark coloured clothes. This is because dark coloured clothes absorb more light and turns it into heat. If you are going to be out in the sunshine for a long time, you can wear white or light coloured clothes to stay cooler.