Absorption and Reflection A thermometer measures the temperature or amount of heat energy in an object. Then place the four thermometers inside their paper covers in a sunny area without much wind. All four thermometers should receive the same amount of sunlight and should not be touching. Predict which color will get the warmest, most quickly. Infrared radiation from the sun does not reach the earth's surface, but the sun's visible light can be turned into heat.
Bright colors reflect visible light.
Dark colors absorb visible light and convert the light energy into heat. These hot objects can re-radiate the sun's energy as infrared radiation. Use the experiment above to explain differences you observe in the two images. Aboard the KAO, sensitive solid state detectors measure infrared radiation. Warm objects that are dark in visible light can be very bright in infrared wavelengths.