A black surface absorbs all wavelengths of light, while a white surface reflects all wavelengths of light. This means that a black surface will absorb more thermal energy from its surroundings than a white surface. Thermal energy is the energy that is associated with the random motion of atoms and molecules. As a result, a black surface will feel warmer to the touch than a white surface, even if they are at the same temperature.
The ability of a surface to absorb thermal energy is called its emissivity. The emissivity of a black surface is 1, while the emissivity of a white surface is 0. This means that a black surface absorbs all of the thermal energy that it is exposed to, while a white surface reflects all of the thermal energy that it is exposed to.
