Why does heat have a shadow?
Thermal energy is a funny old thing.
Asked by: Tess Foy, Stafford
Thermal energy – the physicist’s term for heat – comes in various forms, including infrared radiation, which is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, like visible light. As such, this form of heat can be blocked by objects, creating a shadow. But the other forms of heat can still get to us via, for example, the motion of warm air known as convection.
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Authors
Robert is a science writer and visiting professor of science at Aston University.
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