Is reflected apparent temperature the same as air temperature?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only at certain conditions
• D. Not related

Answer: (C)

Infrared readings come from a mix of what the surface itself emits, what energy is reflected from the surroundings (reflected apparent temperature), and what the atmosphere allows to reach the camera. The reflected portion is not the air temperature itself; it’s the temperature of the surroundings that get reflected into the camera. Whether that reflected temperature matches the air temperature depends on the environment. If all surrounding surfaces are at the same temperature as the air and the target has high emissivity with little reflection, the reflected component can resemble the air temperature. But in general, surrounding objects can be hotter or cooler than the air, or the target can reflect more or less energy, so the reflected apparent temperature differs from air temperature. That’s why it’s correct that they’re equal only under certain conditions.