A student puts a piece of black paper and a piece of white paper in the same sunny spot. After 30 minutes, she observes that the black paper feels warmer than the white paper. Which best explains the student’s observation?(1 point)

Responses

The black paper reflects more waves from the sun than the white paper.
The black paper reflects more waves from the sun than the white paper.

The black paper receives stronger waves from the sun than the white paper.
The black paper receives stronger waves from the sun than the white paper.

The black paper prevents waves from the sun from reaching the white paper.
The black paper prevents waves from the sun from reaching the white paper.

The black paper absorbs more waves from the sun than the white paper.

The black paper absorbs more waves from the sun than the white paper.

The black paper absorbs more waves from the sun than the white paper.

The best explanation for the student's observation is that the black paper absorbs more waves from the sun than the white paper.

To understand why this is the correct explanation, let's break down the options:

1. The black paper reflects more waves from the sun than the white paper: This option suggests that the black paper reflects more sunlight, which would result in a cooler temperature. However, the student observed that the black paper feels warmer, so this explanation does not align with the observation.

2. The black paper receives stronger waves from the sun than the white paper: This option suggests that the black paper receives more intense sunlight, leading to a warmer temperature. This is a plausible explanation, but it does not specifically address why the black paper would receive stronger waves.

3. The black paper prevents waves from the sun from reaching the white paper: This option states that the black paper blocks sunlight from reaching the white paper, which does not explain why the black paper itself feels warmer.

4. The black paper absorbs more waves from the sun than the white paper: This option suggests that the black paper absorbs a greater amount of sunlight, which leads to an increase in temperature. This aligns with the student's observation that the black paper feels warmer.

In summary, the correct answer is that the black paper absorbs more waves from the sun than the white paper, resulting in a warmer temperature.

Blue balls!