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Old 09-21-2012, 12:14 PM   #563
sierra
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Quote:
Originally Posted by subatoy View Post
thanks for this but I still don't understand this logic:
"It's trying to lose heat from the inside, so black is the best colour to radiate that heat into the cooling air."
If white reflects light and heat, while black absorbs light and heat then isn't it logical that black is the best colour to emit heat rather than white?
A good insulator will reflect heat and stay relatively cool[white] while a poor insulator will absorb heat and get hot[black].

That's why most radiators are black or were at one time and not white because black emits more heat from the inside to the cooling air, whereas white would be an insulating reflective barrier by comparison.
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