Can Light Ignite Paper? Heat Radiation Science Demo

Can you ignite a piece of paper only using light?

Museum Educator Lauren shares the science of radiation and how electromagnetic waves like light can be used to transfer energy like heat across astronomical distances! This radiative energy can be focused down to a point and, under the right conditions, can even set a piece of flash paper on fire! Light carries energy, and with it, heat. Some colors like white reflect nearly all light away from them, while others like black absorb all the electromagnetic energy directed at them. If we use black graphite powder, we can focus the light energy into one point and ignite this flash paper.