The Sun Emits Electromagnetic Radiation
Please don’t panic! Yes, I understand that the term electromagnetic radiation is a lot to swollen. But many adults learned the word “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from the movie, “Mary Poppins,”at a very young age.
Let me suggest that you read the following brief descriptions of electromagnetic radiation. The diagram shows the full spectrum of solar energy known as electromagnetic radiation. You want to have a general understanding of the radiation the Sun emits.
1. The Sun and all stars emit electromagnetic radiation; light from the Sun is called solar light.
2. Electromagnetic radiation is wave energy.
3. There are seven different kinds of electromagnetic radiation: radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, x-rays, gamma rays.
4. People and many animals can only see one type of electromagnetic radiation, visible light.
5. Thankfully, earth’s atmosphere blocks much of the harmful electromagnetic radiation.
Earth’s atmosphere is transparent to radio waves and visible light. Being transparent means these two tpyes of EM waves pass through the atmosphere.
Earth’s atmosphere is only partially transparent to microwaves, infrared light as well as ultraviolet light. This mean the earth’s atmosphere is opaque to some types of infrared, microwaves, and ultraviolet. Opaque, means the EM waves are absorbed or reflected, but they do not pass through the atmosphere.
Earth’s atmosmosphere is opaque to the remaining EM radiation.
6. Make sure kids know that electromagnetic radiation is wave energy that can travel through space.
Following is a brief description of infrared radiation, IR (aka infrared light).
Infrared radiation
1. Invisible to the human eye; snakes can see infrared radiation.
2. When infrared radiation is absorbed by our skin causing it to feel warm.
3. Infrared radiation is absorbed by black and dull surfaces, causes these surfaces to be warmer.
When infrared radiation is absorbed by a surface, all the particles in the surface are heated.
For the same reason we must be careful that intense infrared radiation does not burn our skin.
4. Infrared radiation is reflected from silver and shiny surfaces.Thus, these surfaces stay cooler.
5. Infrared radiation is used in remote controls for televisions and other electronic appliances such as DVD and video recorders.
6. Electromagneic radiation travels in a straight line.
Investigate Infrared Radiation
A TV remote control sends out a beam of infrared radiation. The remote must be pointed toward the receiver on the TV. The remote sends out dif
ferent commands and a microchip inside the TV “reads” the beam of light and tells the TV what to do. This is much like your brain reading the signals sent to it by your eye.
Your eyes do not respond to infrared radiation, but digital and cell phone cameras have a filter that allows you to see infrared light.
I used a smart phone and in a darkened room, I was able to hold the phone and point a remote control towards the phone. When I pressed a button on the control, I saw two purplish dots, much like the photo shown. For more details about this investigation see, http://www.wikihow.com/See-Infared-Light
