What is the differance in reflective properties between white and orange hard hats working in the sun? I know white reflects more but how much more does it reflect?
You are correct that white will reflect more light than orange since the orange helmet is absorbing green and blue light in order to appear orange. However, that doesn’t give the full story on perceived brightness (which I assume is your interest for safety). Vivid colors, like a bright orange, look bright not just because they reflect a lot of light, but also because they are colorful. Our perceptions of brightness depends on both the amount of reflected light and colorfulness. The orange helmet is far more colorful than a white one and this colorfulness might be enough to make it look brighter than the white. Also if the orange happens to be fluorescent (like a hunting jacket), then it might look significantly brighter than the white. Ultimately, the best choice is the one that contrasts most with the surroundings. I would expect, in most situations, that bright orange, will stand out more from the surroundings than white. If it was my head, I’d pick an orange helmet.
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