It is well known that darker surfaces heat up faster than lighter surfaces and reach a higher maximum temperature. But why? When the maximum temperature is achieved, there is a state of thermal equilibrium that is is due to a balance between the rates at which (new) energy is being absorbed and (previously) stored energy … Continue reading Energy Budget
Slowing and Stopping
To conclude the recent series of posts related to different aspects of motion, we will now look at a real-world application of these ideas: in particular, the physics of slowing and stopping a road vehicle. An earlier post (from 2019) covered the two components of a vehicle’s overall stopping distance so I won’t repeat that … Continue reading Slowing and Stopping
Surface Colour and Heating
Most people say you shouldn't go out on a summer's day wearing black because you will get too hot. It would be much better to wear white as this will keep you cooler. But is that actually true? We can test this idea using two boiling tubes that have been sprayed to have different surface … Continue reading Surface Colour and Heating
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