The first thing to understand is that it isn't the air that's heating the concrete, it's the sun.
Yes, concrete absorbs heat. Concrete's high thermal mass means it can absorb and store a significant amount of heat, helping to regulate temperature in buildings and urban areas. This makes concrete useful for passive heating and cooling systems, and can contribute to the "urban heat island effect" in cities.
Materials such as concrete, bricks and tiles absorb and store heat. They are therefore said to have high thermal mass.
Heat Absorption: Concrete has a high thermal mass, meaning it can absorb and store heat. During the day, it absorbs heat from sunlight and warm air, which helps to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the building.
While some permeable and moist surfaces, like grass or soil, absorb less heat, other construction materials like asphalt or concrete are capable of absorbing as much as 95% of the sun's energy, which is then radiated back into the surrounding atmosphere.
Urban Heat Island Effect:
Concrete and asphalt in cities absorb a large amount of solar radiation, causing them to heat up significantly.This heated concrete then radiates heat, contributing to the higher temperatures often found in urban areas, known as the urban heat island effect.
