If polar bears have clear fur, not white, and black skin, then why is their fur white? Wouldn't one think that because the fur is clear and their skin is black, their fur would be black?! HELP ME!!!
2007-12-07 15:19:14 · 3 answers · asked by Protector of Wolves 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
The individual hairs in a polar bear's coat are transparent. Similarly, the crystals of sugar in a bowl, the crystals of ice in a field of snow, the water droplets in a cloud are also transparent and yet a bowl of sugar, a field of snow or a cloud are all white, just as a polar bear's coat is - and for the same reason.
The light from the sun is white light. When it falls on the fur, the sugar or the snow it is refracted and reflected by the individual elements in all directions. This is called scattering. Some of the scattered light comes out towards the observer and as the light was white going in, it is white coming out. Consequently masses of small transparent objects appear white because they scatter white light.
2007-12-07 18:03:34 · answer #1 · answered by tentofield 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yep. They need all the heat they can get, so their skin is black. It absorbs a lot more heat. The fur is clear so that the sunlight can reach the black skin. However, it's layered in such a way that when the sun hits it, it gives off white light, allowing the polar bear to blend in with the snow around it.
2016-03-18 01:24:58 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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Yes that is correct. The skin is black and the fur is clear. Each individual hair is, for lack of better words, a clear tube. When light hits the tubes some of the light is absorbed and some reflects making them appear white.
2016-03-29 09:59:56 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
White light is refracted and scattered by their fur, just like in ice, just like in soap suds. With so much of it and such thin refractive shapes, they will certainly appear white.
In hot climates, algae will grow in the hollow polar bear hairs (if they are allowed to swim, of course) as they have in some zoos.
"Lost" got it wrong. Their polars bears would have been green.
2007-12-07 15:25:53 · answer #4 · answered by Bullet Magnet 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
the ice and snow is white and the sky and clouds are white and they reflect onto the polar bears coat
2007-12-07 15:39:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Two words: the reflecting of the light or somethin'.
2007-12-07 15:28:31 · answer #6 · answered by mexicanjumpingbean3 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
their fur is white so that they can sneak up on their prey if they were black they would stick out like a sore thumb and they would not blend in onto their environment
2007-12-07 15:28:59 · answer #7 · answered by buggys 4 · 0⤊ 6⤋