Book 13, Question 100
Why Do Very Dark Materials Like Velvet Seem to Swallow Light?
Black velvet is made of tiny upright fibers. Light that enters gets trapped between them and bounces around until it is absorbed. Very little light comes back out, so the velvet looks deep and dark.
More fun facts
- Dark colored materials absorb visible light better than light colored ones.
- Dark materials also absorb and give off heat energy more easily.
- Ultra black surfaces absorb almost all the visible light that hits them.
- The Brazilian velvet ant, which is really a wasp, is ultra black.
- Its body is so dark it absorbs almost all visible light.
Sources: Exploratorium, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Is a velvet ant really an ant?
No. Despite its name, it is a kind of wasp.