What is the transfer of energy in the form of rays or waves?

Question

What is the transfer of energy in the form of rays or waves?

Answer 1

There are three types of heat transfer:

1. Radiation: the transfer of energy in the form of electromagnetic waves. Ex: Light moving from the Sun to the Earth through empty space.

2. Conduction: the transfer of energy through direct contact. Ex: Heat moving from hot chocolate up through the handle of a silver spoon and then to your hand while you stir.

3. Convection: the transfer of energy due to the movement of a heated fluid, usualy due to differences in density. Ex: Blobs in a lava lamp being heated at the base, rising to the top, cooling, and then sinking, only to repeat the process again.

Your question relates to radiation (or electromagnetic radiation).The Sun doesn't have the abilty to directly touch the Earth in order to heat its surface. The heat and light we receieve from the Sun does not get here by conduction -- there's 93 million miles of empty space between us!

Nor does the Sun send out physical blobs of solids, liquids or gasses that travel through empty space and then hit the Earth, heating us up, so no convection.

Instead, invisible waves of energy known as electromagnetic waves can and do travel through empty space, bringing both heat and light to our surface. When you stand out in the sun and get hot (or get a sun burn) you are receiving energy by radiation. Visible light (the light that we see by), UV light (the kind that can cause sunburns), infrared radiation (radiation that we feel as heat but can't actually see), microwaves (produced by that machine on you kitchen counter), and X-rays (the ones we use to take pictures of our bones) are all examples of radiation. All these different forms of radiation are different due to the length of their wave (for the most part, shorter waves carry more energy than longer waves).

Answer 2

Radiation,  if I understood your question.

The other methods are conduction, transfer of energy by direct contact, and convection, the transfer of energy by fluid movement (in liquids or gases).