Is it cooler to wear light clothes in hot weather?

In hot summer, many people think that wearing light clothes is cooler than wearing dark clothes, because white does not absorb heat, while black absorbs heat. Sounds reasonable, but is it true?

Is it cooler to wear light clothes in summer?

What clothes are the coolest to wear in summer is not only related to the color of clothes, but also related to our environment. When the temperature of an object is lower than that of the surrounding environment, it will absorb heat from the surrounding environment. If directly exposed to the hot sun, the outdoor temperature is higher than the human body temperature, and the heat will be conducted from the air to the human body. At this time, the degree of thermal radiation received by wearing light-colored clothes is relatively small. In this case, wearing light-colored clothes will feel cooler; But when the ambient temperature is lower than the temperature of the object, the object will radiate heat. If the ambient temperature is lower than the human body temperature and the heat transfer direction is from the human body to the air, it will be cooler to wear dark clothes.

Ultraviolet light is the main cause of skin aging, and it is also the strongest time in summer. Wearing light clothes for a long time at this time will make you feel hotter, because white clothes have poor ability to absorb ultraviolet rays. Then what color absorbs ultraviolet rays well? The study found that red clothes can absorb a lot of ultraviolet rays in the sun, so wearing red clothes to resist ultraviolet rays is a good choice and will feel cooler.

Is it cooler to wear less in summer?

Many people think it will be cooler to wear sleeveless and halter tops in summer. In fact, the less you wear in summer, the cooler it is. Only when the body surface temperature is higher than the ambient temperature can the skin conduct heat. When the temperature approaches or exceeds the body temperature, the skin can not only dissipate heat by conduction, but also absorb the heat from the external environment, which is more likely to lead to heatstroke.

What is the best dress to wear in summer?

It's very hot, and people hate staying in air-conditioned rooms every day, but they can't avoid going out. So, what is the coolest thing to wear in summer? Chiffon skirts, chiffon shirts and quick-drying clothes, which seem light and cool, are not "cool" at all. Although the chemical fiber cloth is light and thin, it has poor water absorption and air permeability, and it is difficult for sweat on the skin to evaporate and dissipate heat. In contrast, natural fibers such as cotton, hemp and silk are the first choice in high temperature days. Silk is skin-friendly, lighter and cool to wear; Cotton-padded jacket absorbs sweat and has good breathability; Flax material has large pores and good air permeability and water absorption. The style and color of clothes are also very particular. If you want to wear comfortable and cool clothes, you should also consider the functions of "sucking air" and "blowing air". In summer, if you wear tight clothes, especially those with elastic bands at the chest and waist cuffs, it is easy to cause sultry, affect breathing and hinder normal development. Clothes should be loose, especially at the opening of collar, sleeves and trouser legs.

In a word, it won't make much difference whether you wear dark clothes or light clothes in hot summer. The point is to wear loose clothes. If you are tight, no matter what color, you will feel hotter.

This work is the original of "Popular Science China-A Brief Introduction to Scientific Principles", please indicate the source for reprinting.