Why are light-colored clothes more comfortable to wear in hot than dark ones?

Answer 1

Dark-colored shirts reflect less radiation.

Answer 2

Dark-colored clothes are better absorbers and emitters of heat than light-colored ones. If you wear dark clothes in hot weather, these clothes will absorb more heat than if you wear lighter-colored clothes. That's why it is medically advisable to wear light-colored clothes in hot weather.

Answer 3

Interestingly enough, it actually doesnt, or at least it depends. It is true that white clothing reflects infrared radiation (one of the three methods of heat transfer), but if it keeps you cooler or not depends on a) if the clothing is tight fitting or not, and b) if there is a breeze. In a nutshell, if there is any sort of breeze and the clothing is loose fitting, a black tshirt will absorb your bodys radiated heat, which will then be carried away by convective cooling (moving air passing over the tshirt surface and essentially taking the heat away). In addition people always forget the problem of if you are wearing a white tshirt it will reflect some of your radiated heat back into your body.

It can all be read about here: http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mblackcool.html

Answer 4

Light-colored clothes are more comfortable in hot weather because they reflect more sunlight, helping to keep the body cooler. In contrast, dark-colored clothes absorb more sunlight, which can increase body heat and make the wearer feel hotter.

Answer 5

Well, it's because the darker coors absorb light/heat from the sun and lighter colors reflect light and less absorption. Try this...touch a black car in the summer and it almost burns your hand and then touch a white car, it isn't as hot and you can keep your hand on it without it burning you. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

White because it reflects sunlight. Dark colors such as black or gray absorb heat. Also bees tend to be more aggresive around dark colors, but are less likely to sting you if you wear light colors.

Answer 7

Summer clothes are typically lighter in color because they don't attract much heat. Darker colors attract more heat, which causes people to be excessively hot in the summer.

Answer 8

because they easily reflect rays of light by controlling the amount of heat within, while black materials absorb light ray thereby increasing the amount of heat.

Answer 9

The color black absorbs heat, so black clothing is hotter in hot weather.

Answer 10

Darker colors absorb a larger percentage of the incoming sunlight.