A Temperature Measurement in Sun- White tennis clothes - 89°F. vs Black Clothes - 118°F!

Chas Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Regarding light vs dark tennis clothes in the sun-

An IR thermometer with laser pointer on a bright sunny day, indicated -
1) On the shoulder of a white T shirt - 89° F.
2) On the belly of a black T shirt - 118° F.

Once you see this for yourself, you really understand that sun shine & clothing reflectivity is significant in hot weather.

This measurement was taken with an IR thermometer that has a laser to aim it. About $30-40. Very useful item to have around the house.

Considering that the body is cooling from about 98°. F. it surprised me that much of the trunk might be in cloth that was at 118° F.
[To get the symbol for degrees Google symbol for degrees & copy it. Or just copy my ° . ]

I had only one bad tennis heat experience with an afternoon match at 3:30 PM and temperature predicted at 93°F. Over a short time, I lost a lot of reaction time and speed. Felt different and weak. We all agreed to find shade for the changeover breaks.

I now use white long sleeve shirts and light colored pants in summer and black/dark long sleeves and & pants in the winter. Cos...Co tan full rimmed hat.

From wearing short sleeve shirts and no sunscreen for decades, I now have solar purpura on my arms. (solar skin damage with a tendency to form purple bruises easily). Others I have known have gotten skin cancer on the face. In one case, Melanoma.

Please make and post some similar measurements using an IR thermometer. It is easy to measure surface temperatures with this kind of an IR thermometer. Court surface. Air temperature is tricky. Probably a piece of aluminum foil painted black on one side (not facing the sun) would come to air temperature in a minute or so. Measure how the foil heats.

The players in the past wore light colored clothes that covered more of their arms and legs. That screened the sun and also would have reduce heating from sunshine.

Every coach or instructor should have one of these IR thermometers for educating themselves and their students or players.
 
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A study on wearing black or white in the desert. Apparently, loose clothing is the way to go.

PS I wonder if the color of the clothes affects the rate of loss of temperature as well. For example, if you seek shade on a changeover, will the benefits of color be reversed, with the black shirt losing heat at a higher rate (given the same starting temperature)?
 
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A study on wearing black or white in the desert. Apparently, loose clothing is the way to go.

PS I wonder if the color of the clothes affects the rate of loss of temperature as well. For example, if you seek shade on a changeover, will the benefits of color be reversed, with the black shirt losing heat at a higher rate (given the same starting temperature)?
The color of clothes applies only to the visible wavelengths and how much sun light is reflected. But the emitted radiation depends on the temperature of the clothes and their emissivity in the infrared.

Visible Wavelengths. The surface of the sun is like a 6000 K blackbody radiator - peaks in visible, a short wavelength.

Infrared Wavelengths. At much lower temperatures, such as body temperatures, the radiation is in the infrared. (surface is roughly like a 300 K blackbody radiator - assuming black & white cloth each probably have a similar high emissivity in the infrared wavelengths. (peak around 10 micrometers for 300K). (Black & White apply only to visible light and the clothing has unknown IR emissivity. I assume most clothing has high IR emissivities as does skin and water)

Sweating. For a T shirt on a hot day, it will be wet with sweat and evaporation will be occurring. During sweating on skin and on the T shirt, the hottest water molecules escape more rapidly leaving behind the cooler molecules. This cools the T shirt and skin and is significant. (The black or white T shirt that I measured did not appear to be "wet" with sweat.)

Google: blackbody radiation sun human body
also add Wikipedia
also add pictures

Google: solar constant
Google: solar constant surface earth

This subject has been thoroughly studied and there are Youtubes.

If you have questions please ask.
 
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My understanding is that white reflects external heat better but black releases internal heat better (which is what the IR detector may have been picking up).
 
Regarding light vs dark tennis clothes in the sun-

An IR thermometer with laser pointer on a bright sunny day, indicated -
1) On the shoulder of a white T shirt - 89° F.
2) On the belly of a black T shirt - 118° F.
So bellies are hotter than shoulders? Seems correct since there is where digestion takes place.

Why didn't you measure bellies to bellies or shoulders to shoulders?

Were the bellies and shoulders of the same person?

Have you measured the temperature of a big belly compared to a slim belly?
 
So bellies are hotter than shoulders? Seems correct since there is where digestion takes place.

Why didn't you measure bellies to bellies or shoulders to shoulders?

Were the bellies and shoulders of the same person?

Have you measured the temperature of a big belly compared to a slim belly?
I'm more of a butt guy than a belly guy, but you do you, you're legendary!
 
World record - highest tennis clothing temperature measured & presented on a tennis court in the sun is

118° F

Record held by Chas Tennis.
 
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Regarding light vs dark tennis clothes in the sun-

An IR thermometer with laser pointer on a bright sunny day, indicated -
1) On the shoulder of a white T shirt - 89° F.
2) On the belly of a black T shirt - 118° F.
What shirt material?

I prefer wearing "tech" running clothing. Made of paper-thin, very, very breathable poly-spandex. And with this material, I don't find that the color matters at all.



I now use white long sleeve shirts and light colored pants in summer and black/dark long sleeves and & pants in the winter. Cos...Co tan full rimmed hat.
This makes sense if you're sitting in the stands watching tennis. I put towels on my legs and neck when I'm at Indian Wells.

But when playing, the extra material just holds too much sweat.
 
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What shirt material?

I prefer wearing "tech" running clothing. Made of paper-thin, very, very breathable poly-spandex. And with this material, I don't find that the color matters at all.




This makes sense if you're sitting in the stands watching tennis. I put towels on my legs and neck when I'm at Indian Wells.

But when playing, the extra material just holds too much sweat.
The Tee-shirt materials looked like cotton to me. The Tees did not appear wet from sweat.

If you have a way to measure the temperature of your fabric in the sun - especially for black and white - please measure & post.
 
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Regarding light vs dark tennis clothes in the sun-

An IR thermometer with laser pointer on a bright sunny day, indicated -
1) On the shoulder of a white T shirt - 89° F.
2) On the belly of a black T shirt - 118° F.

Once you see this for yourself, you really understand that sun shine & clothing reflectivity is significant in hot weather.

This measurement was taken with an IR thermometer that has a laser to aim it. About $30-40. Very useful item to have around the house.

Considering that the body is cooling from about 98°. F. it surprised me that much of the trunk might be in cloth that was at 118° F.
[To get the symbol for degrees Google symbol for degrees & copy it. Or just copy my ° . ]

I had only one bad tennis heat experience with an afternoon match at 3:30 PM and temperature predicted at 93°F. Over a short time, I lost a lot of reaction time and speed. Felt different and weak. We all agreed to find shade for the changeover breaks.

I now use white long sleeve shirts and light colored pants in summer and black/dark long sleeves and & pants in the winter. Cos...Co tan full rimmed hat.

From wearing short sleeve shirts and no sunscreen for decades, I now have solar purpura on my arms. (solar skin damage with a tendency to form purple bruises easily). Others I have known have gotten skin cancer on the face. In one case, Melanoma.

Please make and post some similar measurements using an IR thermometer. It is easy to measure surface temperatures with this kind of an IR thermometer. Court surface. Air temperature is tricky. Probably a piece of aluminum foil painted black on one side (not facing the sun) would come to air temperature in a minute or so. Measure how the foil heats.

The players in the past wore light colored clothes that covered more of their arms and legs. That screened the sun and also would have reduce heating from sunshine.

Every coach or instructor should have one of these IR thermometers for educating themselves and their students or players.
Try this test. (or something similar)

Get two hand towels. Identical fabric and size. One black and one white.

Place one on each thigh and sit on a tennis court for about 30min. Measure the temperature of each.
 
So bellies are hotter than shoulders? Seems correct since there is where digestion takes place.

Why didn't you measure bellies to bellies or shoulders to shoulders?

Were the bellies and shoulders of the same person?

Have you measured the temperature of a big belly compared to a slim belly?

I have the same concerns, a Da belly is not hot like Delhi belly.
 
Twenty degrees difference? Easy to believe as I can feel that with black vs. white shorts.

Also I’ve been spraying water on my skin/clothing to keep cool. I’ve also brought a small battery powered leaf blower courtside for more cooling power.

Loose clothing is a good tip I’ll use.
Thanks to all for the posts
 
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