Black Bodies and Radiation

A perfect blackbody is an ideal object that absorbs ALL incoming radiation.
A perfect white body is an ideal object that reflects all radiation.
Real objects all fall somewhere in between these two.
Watch the video to find out more about how black bodies absorb and emit radiation.

All objects can emit and absorb electromagnetic radiation. A blackbody is an object that absorbs radiation and emits radiation back out. When a blackbody is in equilibrium, it absorbs the same amount of energy as it emits. Planets can act as blackbodies, absorbing radiation from the Sun and then emitting it back out into space.