Background: Light may transfer its energy to matter rather than being reflected or transmitted by matter. This is called absorption . When light is absorbed, the added energy increases the temperature of matter. If you get into a car that has been sitting in the sun all day, the seats and other parts of the car’s interior may be almost too hot to touch, especially if they are black or very dark in color. That’s because dark colors absorb most of the sunlight that strikes them.

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them is white and one of them is black. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.

Question: Will the white cat or the black cat be warmer?
Answer: black cat

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them is white and one of them is black. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.

Question: Will the white cat or the black cat be cooler?
Answer: white cat

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them has white fur and one of them has black fur. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.

Question: Which cat's fur is absorbing more light, the black one or the white one?
Answer: the black one

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them has white fur and one of them has black fur. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.

Question: Which cat's fur is absorbing less light, the black one or the white one?
Answer: the white one

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them has white fur and one of them has black fur. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.         
                                                  Robert is planning a beach trip and needs to buy a new lounge chair to sit in because his old one is broken. At the store he sees two chairs that he likes. One of the chairs is dark blue and one of the chairs is light blue.

Question: If left in the sun at the beach which chair color would become warmer the dark blue chair or the light blue chair?
Answer: the dark blue chair

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them has white fur and one of them has black fur. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.         
                                                  Robert is planning a beach trip and needs to buy a new lounge chair to sit in because his old one is broken. At the store he sees two chairs that he likes. One of the chairs is dark blue and one of the chairs is light blue.

Question: If left in the sun at the beach which chair color would be cooler the dark blue chair or the light blue chair?
Answer: the light blue chair

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them has white fur and one of them has black fur. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.         
                                                  Robert is planning a beach trip and needs to buy a new lounge chair to sit in because his old one is broken. At the store he sees two chairs that he likes. One of the chairs is dark blue and one of the chairs is light blue.

Question: If Robert wants his chair to stay cooler during the day which color should he buy?
Answer: light blue

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them has white fur and one of them has black fur. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.         
                                                  Robert is planning a beach trip and needs to buy a new lounge chair to sit in because his old one is broken. At the store he sees two chairs that he likes. One of the chairs is dark blue and one of the chairs is light blue.

Question: If Robert's chair became very hot in the sun which color did he buy?
Answer: dark blue

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them has white fur and one of them has black fur. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.         
                                                  Robert is planning a beach trip and needs to buy a new lounge chair to sit in because his old one is broken. At the store he sees two chairs that he likes. One of the chairs is dark blue and one of the chairs is light blue.

Question: If Robert bought the light blue chair would it absorb more or less light than the dark blue chair?
Answer: less

Situation: There are two cats sitting outside in the sun. One of them has white fur and one of them has black fur. Tina sees them and goes to pet them both.         
                                                  Robert is planning a beach trip and needs to buy a new lounge chair to sit in because his old one is broken. At the store he sees two chairs that he likes. One of the chairs is dark blue and one of the chairs is light blue.

Question: If Robert bought the dark blue chair would it absorb more or less light than the light blue chair?
Answer: more

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.

Question: Which coat should Johnathan wear if he wants to be warmer?
Answer: black coat

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.

Question: Which coat will absorb less sunlight?
Answer: white coat

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.

Question: Which coat will absorb more sunlight?
Answer: black coat

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.

Question: Which coat will be less warm?
Answer: white coat

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.                                      
                                                                              Sarah is going to a family picnic in the park and is trying to decide what dress to wear. She knows it is going to be very hot and sunny today and she has narrowed her choices down to two different dresses. One is a dark colored dress and the other is a white dress.

Question: Which dress should Sarah pick if she wants to be cooler?
Answer: white dress

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.                                      
                                                                              Sarah is going to a family picnic in the park and is trying to decide what dress to wear. She knows it is going to be very hot and sunny today and she has narrowed her choices down to two different dresses. One is a dark colored dress and the other is a white dress.

Question: Which dress would be warmer?
Answer: dark colored dress

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.                                      
                                                                              Sarah is going to a family picnic in the park and is trying to decide what dress to wear. She knows it is going to be very hot and sunny today and she has narrowed her choices down to two different dresses. One is a dark colored dress and the other is a white dress.

Question: Which dress would absorb more light?
Answer: dark colored dress

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.                                      
                                                                              Sarah is going to a family picnic in the park and is trying to decide what dress to wear. She knows it is going to be very hot and sunny today and she has narrowed her choices down to two different dresses. One is a dark colored dress and the other is a white dress.

Question: Which dress would absorb less light?
Answer: dark colored dress

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.                                      
                                                                              Sarah is going to a family picnic in the park and is trying to decide what dress to wear. She knows it is going to be very hot and sunny today and she has narrowed her choices down to two different dresses. One is a dark colored dress and the other is a white dress.

Question: Would the black dress absorb more or less sunlight?
Answer: more

Situation: It is winter and Johnathan's car won't start, so he needs to walk to work. Even though it's sunny outside he's going to have to bundle up due to the cold temperature. In his closet there is a large black coat and a large white coat. He can't decide which coat to wear.                                      
                                                                              Sarah is going to a family picnic in the park and is trying to decide what dress to wear. She knows it is going to be very hot and sunny today and she has narrowed her choices down to two different dresses. One is a dark colored dress and the other is a white dress.

Question: Would the white coat absorb more or less sunlight?
Answer: less