Heat and temperature ________________________________________________________________ 12. Heat transfer. Thermal radiation
Figure 7.17Someone is warming their hands over a bonfire.They don’t have to touch the fire to feel its warmth. How is warmth from the fire transferred to their hands?
The bonfire from the image has a lot of thermal energy.
Thermal energy from the bonfire is transferred to the hands by thermal radiation.
Thermal radiation is the transfer of thermal energy by waves that can travel through air or even through empty space.
When the waves of thermal energy reach objects, they transfer the energy to the objects, causing them to warm up.
This is how the fire warms the hands of someone sitting near the bonfire.