Why is black asphalt the default material for surfacing streets, especially in hot climates?

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The title is the question.

Maybe it’s the cheapest thing with the right properties, but can’t it be painted with something a little more reflective, that won’t absorbe so much heat from the sun?

In: Technology

29 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s not so much that they make it black, but rather black is the color that it is. The key ingredient is bitumen which is a petroleum product. You know what color petroleum is, right? So, that’s where the color comes from.

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