Infrared Radiation Lab Results

In this report, the absorption of heat in white, black and silver will be explored. Infrared radiation is invisible radiant energy, it lies between the visible light and the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Heat is the main source of infrared energy, heat is produced by the movement of atoms and molecules. This experiment was conducted to investigate how black, white, and silver cans would absorb heat.
The electromagnetic spectrum is made up of gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwaves and radio waves. What separates these is the frequency and wavelength of each one. A high frequency, which is high energy, results in a short wavelengthand vice versa. This makes the frequency and wavelength inversely proportional. Infrared radiation has longer electromagnetic wavelengths than that of
All cans were left untouched on the inside therefore they all had reflective silver on the inside of them. This may have been the reason for why the results turned out how they did. The black can decreased temperature quickly, it is expected that the black colour on the outside would have absorbed the heat that made it through the silver can and radiated it into the mediums around it. The white can decreased temperature the same amount as the black can. This may have been because there was no light so the can may have absorbed the heat and not reflected it as greatly as it did with a light source. The silver can held the heat as it may have reflected the heat that travelled through the can and did not absorb it, therefore the heat could not be transferred into the atmosphere. As the cans were painted, it is possible the paint could have been applied in different thicknesses and different brands could have been used. These factors could have also contributed to the unexpected