3.13 Thermal radiation
These people are absorbing electromagnetic waver
from the Sun. The waves are mostly infrared, light
and ultraviolet (see the section on electromagnetic This marathon
lf waves). They warm up anything (or anyone) that
oe sending it out
ner is BiViNg of ra
lation
race, The more she radiates, the mote ba
Aly he
absorbs them. They're known as thermal radiation’ ~ lowe And that means risk of chiling sie
or just ‘radiation’ for short. solve the problem, They're a quick and way”?
keeping everybody warm, "
Some surfaces are better at absorbing thermal meping everyneny
entation Gen others Some surfaces ar better at serng ou or ny
Standing in the sunshine, a black car warms up more radiation than others
ity io any other. Touch the bodywork testi back saucepan cools down more
for yourse other, Could you design an ex
yourself?
>
Dull black surfaces a
best emitters of radia
quickly thy
eriment to st
| [ Good absorbers of thermal radiation ae also good emitters
| Tiss how diferent suas compre
Dull black surfaces are the bsorbers
best absorbers of radiation. in
They reflect hardly any '
| radiation at all !
\
| Shiny silvery surfaces are
| the worst absorbers of
radiation. They reflect
nearly all the radiation
Silvery surfaces arth
that strikes them,
'
'
|
\ worst emitters of
worst radiation
76eeping your food warm
rium foal helps keep food dishes warm
fney've cst thee tabhe
radiation passes easily through the glass of
greenhouse and warms the plants inside. The
armed plants also radiate energy, but some of this is
ected back by the glass. That is how a greenhouse
7s the Sun’s heat. Carbon dioxide in the Earth’s
mosphere has a similar effect - it's called the
greenhouse effect
Questions
| - 7
Which of these surfaces is best at
2 absorbing thermal radiation
b emitting thermal radiation
radiat
2 All three kettles are the
surfaces. All are f
a aA
il back
€ reflecting thermal
except for their outside
Keeping your drinks hot (or cold)
‘A vacuum flask like the one above can keep drinks hot
(oe cold) for hours. It has these features for slowing
down the energy flow out (or in}
1 A stopper to prevent convection (hot air rising). The
stopper is also insulated to reduce conduction
2. Adouble- walled container with a gap between the
walls. Air has been removed from the gap to reduce
conduction.
Walls with silvery surfaces to reduce thermal
radiation
‘When the kettles are let to cool. this is what happens 8
their temperature
Temperature in °C
KettleA Kettle Ketthe C
re) 100 wo
After 5 min s * x
After 10min 73 2 s
a Which kettie has the silvery surface?
bb Which kettle has the dull black surface?
3 Explain why
a In hot countnes, houses are often painted white
b On a hot summer's day, the inside of a white cars
cooler than a dark one.
«It you use a lens to focus the Sun's rays on RewSpApEE
the print burs more easily than the white paper