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Xringer · 03-11-10, 06:55 AM

When the sun (at a certain power level for a certain amount of time) comes into the window,
and is inside your house..

Some of obviously bounces right back outdoors (unless everything inside is flat black).
People outdoors can see inside, because of that reflected light.

However, looking at the light bouncing outdoors, is not at all like looking at the sun.
The watts per sq meter are very low..

My point is, almost all (90% ?) the light getting inside my windows will stay inside the house.

So, what happens to those photons?

Do they all end up absorbed and turned into heat?

It seems they do not remain in their 'light' state. Otherwise they would
accumulate indoors and it would be like living inside a Laser tube..

My guess is, they are mostly converted into heat..
(Unless you have some PV panels in the room)..

So, the question that comes to mind.. If 100 watts of solar power (light)
comes into this room and 10% bounces right back outdoors..

Would the color of the room really make much difference to
remaining the 90 watts of energy left in the room?

Won't it just scatter around and hit surfaces in the room where it will
be absorbed and turned into heat?

03-11-10, 06:55 AM	#8
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	When the sun (at a certain power level for a certain amount of time) comes into the window, and is inside your house.. Some of obviously bounces right back outdoors (unless everything inside is flat black). People outdoors can see inside, because of that reflected light. However, looking at the light bouncing outdoors, is not at all like looking at the sun. The watts per sq meter are very low.. My point is, almost all (90% ?) the light getting inside my windows will stay inside the house. So, what happens to those photons? Do they all end up absorbed and turned into heat? It seems they do not remain in their 'light' state. Otherwise they would accumulate indoors and it would be like living inside a Laser tube.. My guess is, they are mostly converted into heat.. (Unless you have some PV panels in the room).. So, the question that comes to mind.. If 100 watts of solar power (light) comes into this room and 10% bounces right back outdoors.. Would the color of the room really make much difference to remaining the 90 watts of energy left in the room? Won't it just scatter around and hit surfaces in the room where it will be absorbed and turned into heat?