Physics 1 - Transferring heat energy

Heat Energy

Heat energy can be transferred in 3 different ways; conduction, convection and radiation.

Radiation:

• Heat radiation is the transfer of heat energy by infrared radiation.
• Infrared radiation can be emitted by solids, liquids and gases and any object can emit and absorb infrared radiation.
• The bigger the temperature difference between a body and its surroundings, the faster the energy is transferred by heating.
• Infrared radiation is emitted from the surface of an object.
• An object hotter than its surroundings emits more radiation than it absorbs.
• An object cooler than its surroundings absorbs more radiation than it emits.
• The hotter an object is, the more radiation it will emit in a certain time (faster).
• Dark, matt surfaces absorb and emit infrared radiation better than light, shiny surfaces.
• Light, shiny surfaces reflect a lot…