[ELI5] Would something stay hot in the space forever since there is nothing to transfer its heat?
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I’m surprised that no one has used the Earth as an example. It sits, so to speak, in space. The Sun adds heat energy by the radiation, both in the visible spectrum and not, to the Earth. The Earth radiates that heat at a rate where it is at equilibrium: the energy input = the energy output.
I’m surprised that no one has used the Earth as an example. It sits, so to speak, in space. The Sun adds heat energy by the radiation, both in the visible spectrum and not, to the Earth. The Earth radiates that heat at a rate where it is at equilibrium: the energy input = the energy output.
It would take a human body about 24 hours to freeze in the vacuum of space. You would suffocate, in space, long before you froze. Your body, though, wouldn’t freeze if it was close enough to a star.
It would take a human body about 24 hours to freeze in the vacuum of space. You would suffocate, in space, long before you froze. Your body, though, wouldn’t freeze if it was close enough to a star.
Every object with any heat releases it slowly through waves of energy (radiation).
Things that are very very hot release radiation that is visible to us.
This is how sunlight works. The sun releases its heat in the form of visible light.
In your house, things like the oven or the fireplace might get hot enough that they glow with blue or yellow light. This is the same thing.
Less hot things release their heat in the form of infrared radiation.
If you ever wear infra-red googles and look at a person then they’ll appear to be glowing. You are seeing the infra-red radiation coming out of their body.
Every object with any heat releases it slowly through waves of energy (radiation).
Things that are very very hot release radiation that is visible to us.
This is how sunlight works. The sun releases its heat in the form of visible light.
In your house, things like the oven or the fireplace might get hot enough that they glow with blue or yellow light. This is the same thing.
Less hot things release their heat in the form of infrared radiation.
If you ever wear infra-red googles and look at a person then they’ll appear to be glowing. You are seeing the infra-red radiation coming out of their body.
Vacuum slows down the heat transfer tremendously, but does not stop it. See James Webb telescope when it was launched and set it space. Took ages to cool down to use.
Vacuum slows down the heat transfer tremendously, but does not stop it. See James Webb telescope when it was launched and set it space. Took ages to cool down to use.
Radiation is a thing. There are three ways to transfer heat (energy in general): through conduction (put a pot on the hot stove, soon the pot is going to be warm); convection (water heated by conduction at the bottom of the pot will rise and mix with the cold water on top, soon brining all the water to the same temperature) and radiation (you standing in the sun will soon feel warmth on your skin).
Radiation is a thing. There are three ways to transfer heat (energy in general): through conduction (put a pot on the hot stove, soon the pot is going to be warm); convection (water heated by conduction at the bottom of the pot will rise and mix with the cold water on top, soon brining all the water to the same temperature) and radiation (you standing in the sun will soon feel warmth on your skin).
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