Final answer:
Infrared radiation is felt as heat from a fire, with a longer wavelength than visible light and is detectable by the skin. It differs from light waves in its wavelength, energy, and effects on our senses, and is often observed using tools like pyrometers.
Step-by-step explanation:
When standing in front of an open fire, besides the visible light, one can sense infrared radiation as heat. This kind of electromagnetic radiation has a longer wavelength than visible light, which means it carries less energy and is felt as warmth rather than seen as light. The skin is very sensitive to infrared radiation, allowing us to sense the presence of a fire without looking at it directly.
Differences between infrared radiation and visible light waves can be understood in terms of their place in the electromagnetic spectrum, ability to transfer thermal energy, and how they affect our senses. For instance, infrared has a longer wavelength and transfers more thermal energy to the observers than visible light does. Visible light is what we can see, whereas the thermal effect we feel from a fire is primarily due to infrared radiation. This radiation can be detected and measured using devices like pyrometers, which firefighters might use to check temperatures without requiring direct contact.
Electromagnetic radiation and temperature have a correlation that can be observed in various contexts. For example, you would detect a star with a surface temperature of about 5800 K using visible light, a gas heated to around one million K with x-rays, and a person on a dark night using infrared radiation due to the heat signatures that living beings emit.