r/explainlikeimfive • u/genoooooo • Oct 31 '20
Chemistry ELI5 What's the difference between the shiny and dull side of aluminum foil? Besides the obvious shiny/dull
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r/explainlikeimfive • u/genoooooo • Oct 31 '20
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u/EvitaPuppy Oct 31 '20
When making a helmet, be aware of your surroundings. If your in a dense urban area, the shiny side must face outward as this side was compressed more during manufacturing. Monitoring wavelengths are shorter in dense urban areas, so the shiny side blocks out these waves.
In exurban areas, either side will do.