How Do Different Colors Absorb Sunlight?

Black

• Black absorbs the most sunlight, which is then converted to thermal energy, also known as heat. Think of the heat created on the surface of black asphalt in a parking lot as it absorbs sunlight or when a black shirt is worn outdoors on a hot sunny day. It doesn't take long to feel the effect sunlight has on the color. Black absorbs all colors from sunlight's spectrum, therefore, it has the largest amount of light to convert to thermal energy or heat.

Dark Blue, Violet and Green

• Dark blues, purples and greens that are often perceived as "cool" in room design or fashion actually get almost as hot as black when exposed to sunlight. In your home, navy blue, dark purple or hunter green fabrics and walls will absorb and convert the light into thermal energy.

  In addition, dark interior paint will reduce the light in a room. Unless a large amount of sunlight is available from windows, the temperature in the room might not rise noticeably as it would outdoors, but the lack of light reflected in the room is noticeable. Because the paint absorbs much of the light, the room often appears dark or cozy, depending on individual perception. Consider the number of windows and the artificial lighting when choosing a dark paint for the walls.

Yellow, Orange and Red

• Yellows, oranges and reds are usually considered warm or hot colors, at least when it comes to fabrics and paints. The color red is synonymous with heat, and yellow is always considered the color of sunshine in home design. However, when it comes to literally getting hot from sunlight, these colors fail to noticeably rise in temperature. The exception is a dark red because dark blue is part of the mixture. In that case, the red will absorb more sunlight to convert to heat. So while orange rooms feel warm and yellow rooms sunny, the feelings are emotional. These colors absorb only a small amount of sunlight to convert to thermal energy.

White

• White is the coolest of all colors. If something appears white, it's because every color of sunlight's spectrum is reflected away from its surface. In reality, white is the absence of color, therefore, no light is absorbed to transfer to thermal energy or heat. Because white doesn't absorb sunlight, it's the perfect choice for clothing on a hot sunny day. For this same reason, a large room painted white can feel cool in the summer or cold in the winter. Since white is lacking color and physically stays cool to the touch, it's a perfect companion for every other color.