User:MarjoleinStassen/RADIATION
Thermal radiation is electromagnetic radiation generated by the thermal motion of *charged particles in matter.* All matter with a temperature greater than absolute zero emits thermal radiation. When the temperature of a body is greater than absolute zero, inter-atomic collisions cause the *kinetic energy* of the atoms or molecules to change. This results in charge-acceleration and/or dipole oscillation which produces electromagnetic radiation, and the wide spectrum of radiation reflects the wide spectrum of energies and accelerations that occur even at a single temperature.
Examples of thermal radiation include the *visible light* and *infrared light* emitted by an incandescent light bulb, the infrared radiation emitted by animals and detectable with an infrared camera, and the cosmic microwave background radiation. Thermal radiation is different from thermal convection and thermal conduction—a person near a raging bonfire feels radiant heating from the fire, even if the surrounding air is very cold.
- Sunlight* is part of thermal radiation generated by the hot plasma of the Sun. *The Earth* also emits thermal radiation, but at a much lower intensity and different spectral distribution (infrared rather than visible) because it is cooler. The Earth's *absorption of solar radiation*, followed by its outgoing thermal radiation are the two most important processes that determine the temperature and climate of the Earth.
Thermal radiation is one of the fundamental mechanisms of heat transfer.
http://phys.org/news/2016-08-optical-material-unprecedented-thermal.html
http://www.atomicarchive.com/Effects/effects7.shtml
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/light_lessons/thermal/transfer.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Caldera
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/ir_tutorial/what_is_ir.html
http://www.ipac.caltech.edu/outreach/Edu/Regions/irregions.html
solar wind
noun
the continuous flow of charged particles from the sun which permeates the solar system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_wind
http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/SolarWind.shtml
http://www.emlii.com/dd9b03c9/22-Ridiculously-Cool-Rare-Natural-Phenomena-That-Happen-on-Earth
http://www.storypick.com/17-stunning-rare-natural-phenomena-occur-earth/
http://inyminy.com/23-miraculously-awesome-rare-natural-phenomena-occur-earth/
Forms of electromagnetic radiation like radio waves, light waves or infrared (heat) waves make characteristic patterns as they travel through space. Each wave has a certain shape and length. The distance between peaks (high points) is called wavelength.
