Question

Which of the following processes is most similar to the process that TRANSPORTS energy from the surface of the Sun to the Earth?

a) the process that produces craters on terrestrial planets
b) the process that makes water boil
c) the process that makes your food hot in a microwave oven
d) the process that makes your hand hot when you touch a hot stove
e) the process that produces heat in the core of the Earth

Answer 1

The process transporting energy from the Sun's surface to Earth is most similar to the process of microwaves heating food, which is radiation, the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves without the need for a medium.

Step-by-step explanation:

The process that transports energy from the surface of the Sun to the Earth is most similar to the process that makes your food hot in a microwave oven. This process is known as radiation, which is the transfer of energy through space without direct contact or the need for a medium, like air. The sun radiates energy as electromagnetic waves, including visible light, ultraviolet light, and other types of energy. Microwaves use a similar process by emitting microwave radiation to heat food.

Convection and conduction are the other two modes of heat transfer, but they do not describe how energy travels from the sun to Earth. Convection requires fluid movement and conduction involves direct contact, neither of which are needed for the Sun's energy to reach Earth.