Eli5: How does cold “radiate”?

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If heat is the measure of atomic kinetic energy and cold is technically the lack of heat then how can we feel radiated cold? Like if you put your hand near some ice you can feel the cold? How can the lack of something radiate?

In: Physics

12 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

The same way that a shadow moves across a wall when you move your hand in front of the lamp, or the same way a vacuum spreads when you open a spaceship door. It isn’t spreading into the spaceship, but rather the air is rushing out to fill the void. Just the same way that heat rushes into a cold object to fill a void of energy.

Or, realistically, the air is just pressure pushing things out and likewise heat moving into a cold area because it now can, which takes cold out of the previous warm area, but that’s less ELI5.

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