how does the absorption of light and heat due to surface color affect molecule temperature in between? Specifically the sun and the typical light blue color we see in many pools.

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if pools had black liners/paint instead of the typical light blue, would that raise the temperature of the water? Since black absorbs more heat/light, and since white reflects more heat/light, would the water molecules between the sun and the floor of the pool be heated as well?

In: Chemistry

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So, you’ve heard how light can be a wave or a particle, yeh? Today for our demo it’s a particle because that makes our explanation easier while still being correct.

The sunlight is composed of a whole bunch of photons – light particles. These particles, when absorbed, heat up whatever’s absorbed them. Each one carries a packet of heat energy and deposits its packet when absorbed. If they go through a pool, then a few of them will be absorbed by the water since it is not perfectly clear. Most will pass through, and so the water only heats up a bit. It does not care what is behind it, yet. Now, at the bottom of the pool, you have a black floor. Real black paint is nowhere near perfect, but let’s imagine this stuff absorbs all light that hits it. Every photon that has made it through the water deposits its heat into the black paint. Because heat spreads out to nearby objects, the water heats up from touching this now-hot black painted floor, but not much from the light itself.