1

If a black object and a shiny object were left in vacuum and bombarded with thermal radiation would the shiny object eventually reach the same temperature as the black object?

The reason I ask is I am having a hard time wrapping my head around Kirchhoff's law and Boltzmann's law and thermal radiation. I know black objects absorb more heat and get hotter than shiny objects, but if absorbance is equal to emittance than the color should have no effect on the temperature over an infinite amount of time. Is that correct?

Qmechanic
  • 220,844
Demni
  • 19

1 Answers1

1

If the two bodies are put in equilibrium radiation, they will both adapt their temperature to common temperature. The black object will do so faster.

Ján Lalinský
  • 44,745