54.5k views
3 votes
Why is heat from the sun transferred through radiation

User Mitendra
by
7.4k points

1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

Heat from the sun is transferred to Earth via radiation, a method of heat transfer that does not require a medium. This happens through the emission of infrared waves that carry energy. This principle applies from the core of the sun to its surface and further reaches to warm the Earth.

Step-by-step explanation:

The heat from the sun is transferred via radiation, a process that occurs when infrared waves carry energy. This type of heat transfer does not require a medium, meaning that it doesn't need to come into direct contact with or be transported by any matter. This is crucial considering the space between Earth and the sun is mostly empty, without any possibility of heat transfer by convection or conduction.

On a sunny day, the radiation from the sun warms the skin. The same principle works between any two objects when their temperatures differ. For instance, a radiator can warm a room via radiant heat. It's important to note that about 60 percent of the heat lost by the body is lost through radiation.

This same principle works from the very core of the sun, where nuclear reactions generate energy. This energy must be transported from the center of the Sun to its surface which appears to us in the form of both heat and light.

Learn more about Heat Transfer through Radiation

User Alag
by
7.9k points