The owner of a window-treatment company wants to design shades that will cover the windows of a house. The shades should also warm the house by maximizing the absorption of solar energy coming through the windows. Which kind of material would best accomplish this task?

Dark colors absorb more incoming solar energy than light colors, which reflect more of it. A textured surface can also absorb more energy by reflecting light between its uneven ridges rather than sending it straight back. Therefore, black and textured shades would best warm the house.

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