Heat Radiation

How come on a hot summer day you can feel the heat produced by the Sun, which is located almost 150 million kilometers away? This is possible due to heat radiation, one of the three ways heat is transferred between objects. The nuclear processes that occur in the Sun produce heat, which then travels radially in all direction via electromagnetic waves. It takes roughly eight minutes for the sunlight to reach the Earth, where it passes through the atmosphere and is either absorbed or reflected to continue the never-ending cycle of heat transfer. Similar effects are observed on a smaller scale, for instance, as the sun sets we can feel the world around us cooling, so warming your hands using the heat radiated by a fireplace is just as enjoyable as feeling the warm rays of sunshine during the day. In this article, we'll discuss heat radiation, its properties and applications in our day-to-day life.

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    Frequently Asked Questions about Heat Radiation

    What is heat radiation?

    Heat radiation is the electromagnetic radiation emitted by a material due to the random motion of particles.

    What is an example of heat radiation?

    Examples of heat radiation include microwave ovens, cosmic background radiation, infrared and ultraviolet radiation.

    What is the rate of heat transfer by radiation?

    The rate of heat transfer by radiation is described by the Stefan-Boltzmann law, where the heat transfer is proportional to temperature to the fourth power.

    What type of heat transfer is radiation?

    Radiation is a type of heat transfer that doesn't require bodies to be in contact and can travel without a medium.

    How does heat radiation work?

    Heat radiation works by transferring heat via electromagnetic waves.

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    Thermal radiation and infrared radiation are terms that describe the same thing.

    Which color in the visual light spectrum produces the most heat?

    What is the relation between the peak wavelength and the temperature of an ideal blackbody?

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