How do heat-seeking missiles seek heat? what attracts them to the heat source?

Question

i was just brushing my teeth and it popped into my mind for some odd reason...

Answer 1

similar to the same way a solar panel collect energy. It tracks infrared energy and is attracted to the greatest source.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/sidewin...

Answer 2

Wherever there is energy there is heat , in this case the jet stream that drives the rocket , the missile latches on the the heat source and followes it until impact .

Answer 3

When humans see colors, we are actually sensing the energy reflecting off of surfaces in different energy bands (remember the color band-"ROY G BIV"?). That band continues into the Infrared and Ultraviolet band, as well as microwave, VHF, UHF, etc...It's all about sensing energy-you eyeball sensing energy reflection...

A Infrared or heat-detecting sensor on a missile detects infrared energy; so it's basically an improved eyeball that can see beyond what humans can perceive.

Answer 4

I used to work manufacturing these in the 1990's, in those days i was really only involved in the glass and natural resource part of the process and that was to craft shapes from these and then have them polished to the required level for the system to work, the guy in charge of design used to walk around all day talking to himself and would then come out half and hour later with a drawing of something he wanted made, it was my belief that these glass objects coupled with some stuff from the ground made in to shapes when put together with the other stuff, explosives, casing and electronics is what makes them work. We also used to make a lot of pilots stuff and stuff for ships and submarines, sorry i have to be a bit vague but of course for some its a sensitive issue.