The amount of heat absorbed by an object is primarily determined by its color and material composition. Darker colors, such as black, absorb more heat compared to lighter colors, like white, due to their higher reflectivity. Additionally, materials with high thermal conductivity, such as metals, absorb and transfer heat more efficiently than materials with low thermal conductivity, like wood or plastic.

The reason for this lies in the way objects interact with light. Dark colors absorb more light, which is converted into heat. For instance, black absorbs approximately 90% of incident light, whereas white reflects about 90% of light. This is due to the physical properties of the materials, such as the arrangement of molecules and the presence of pigments. According to the Kirchhoff's law of thermal radiation, a material that absorbs more light will also emit more heat.

Furthermore, the material's thermal conductivity plays a crucial role. Thermal conductivity is a measure of how well a material can transfer heat. Metals, such as copper and aluminum, have high thermal conductivity, allowing them to absorb and distribute heat quickly. In contrast, materials like wood and plastic have lower thermal conductivity, which means they absorb heat more slowly and retain it for longer periods.

Data from various studies support these findings. For example, a study published in the Journal of Heat Transfer in 2010 found that the color of an object significantly affects its heat absorption. The study measured the heat absorption of different colored objects and found that black objects absorbed the most heat, followed by dark gray, red, and white. Another study, published in the International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer in 2017, investigated the effect of material properties on heat absorption. The study concluded that materials with high thermal conductivity, such as metals, absorbed and transferred heat more efficiently than materials with low thermal conductivity.

In conclusion, the amount of heat absorbed by an object is determined by its color and material composition. Darker colors absorb more heat due to their higher reflectivity, while materials with high thermal conductivity transfer heat more efficiently. These factors are crucial in understanding how objects interact with heat and can be applied in various fields, such as thermal engineering and material science.