How exactly does sweat work? When you’re in the sun and you wipe hot sweat off you feel cooler…

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If I’m outside and I start to sweat very much then the sun on my sweat heats it up and I feel hotter than before so I wipe it off and feel cooler for awhile- doesn’t water, or sweat, act sort of like a “magnifying glass” that heats up the surface of the skin in the same way that if you wash your car in direct sunlight then it burns off/evaporates which leaves water marks on the car?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Already some good answers concerning evaporative cooling as the key when it comes sweat. However, I also think it is important to address your other major item:

>doesn’t water, or sweat, act sort of like a “magnifying glass” that heats up the surface of the skin … then it burns off/evaporates which leaves water marks on the car?

The idea of droplets heating garden plants (or your car) is widely believed myth. Here is one of many sources that verify that this is false: [https://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/1999/062899.html](https://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/1999/062899.html)

The focal length of a magnifying object is outside of the object. The droplets would need to be suspended above the leaves/car to do any damage. Sure you can burn the ground with a magnifying glass, but try laying that magnifying glass directly on the ground and see if anything happens.

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