Home > Astrophysics > Blackbody Radiation

Why does radiation transfer heat energy?

Answer 1

Because it is a wave.

Infrared radiation (heat) is a form of electromagnetic wave.
Waves are a method of energy transfer that do not require a medium (e.g. vibrating atoms).
Therefore, as radiation is a wave, it can transfer energy. In fact, it doesn't just transfer heat energy. Visible light is just another form of EM radiation.

If an object is heated, it gains energy. What we mean by this is that the individual atoms making up the object gain energy. However, these atoms will also emit energy in the form of electromagnetic waves.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer 2

Leah Angelini

Radiation transfers heat energy because electromagnetic waves, which carry radiant energy, can travel through a vacuum or transparent medium without the need for a medium to propagate. When these waves encounter a surface, they can be absorbed, reflected, or transmitted. Absorption of radiation by a material leads to an increase in its internal energy, causing a rise in temperature and the transfer of heat energy.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.