Solar Energy on Earth
The Sun is the primary source of energy for life on Earth. This energy travels through space in tiny packets called photons, each moving in a wave.
It travels as electromagnetic radiation, and the full range of these waves is called the electromagnetic spectrum.
This spectrum has many types of waves, including radio waves with the longest wavelengths and gamma rays with the shortest.
The shorter the wavelength of a wave, the more energy it has. Longer wavelengths have less energy.
Within the visible light part of the spectrum, red light has the longest wavelength, and violet has the shortest.
Infrared light has a longer wavelength than visible light. We can feel it as heat, even though we can't see it.
Compared to visible light, ultraviolet light has shorter wavelengths and more energy. Some types of UV light can harm living things, causing damage like sunburn, but the atmosphere largely absorbs them.
Gamma rays have the shortest wavelengths and, thus, the highest energy. Fortunately, Earth's atmosphere blocks them from reaching the surface.
The Sun is the primary source of energy for life on Earth. This energy travels through space in tiny packets called photons, each moving in a wave.
It travels as electromagnetic radiation, and the full range of these waves is called the electromagnetic spectrum.
This spectrum has many types of waves, including radio waves with the longest wavelengths and gamma rays with the shortest.
The shorter the wavelength of a wave, the more energy it has. Longer wavelengths have less energy.
Within the visible light part of the spectrum, red light has the longest wavelength, and violet has the shortest.
Infrared light has a longer wavelength than visible light. We can feel it as heat, even though we can't see it.
Compared to visible light, ultraviolet light has shorter wavelengths and more energy. Some types of UV light can harm living things, causing damage like sunburn, but the atmosphere largely absorbs them.
Gamma rays have the shortest wavelengths and, thus, the highest energy. Fortunately, Earth's atmosphere blocks them from reaching the surface.
The Sun is the primary source of energy for life on Earth. This energy travels through space in tiny packets called photons, each moving in a wave.
It travels as electromagnetic radiation, and the full range of these waves is called the electromagnetic spectrum.
This spectrum has many types of waves, including radio waves with the longest wavelengths and gamma rays with the shortest.
The shorter the wavelength of a wave, the more energy it has. Longer wavelengths have less energy.
Within the visible light part of the spectrum, red light has the longest wavelength, and violet has the shortest.
Infrared light has a longer wavelength than visible light. We can feel it as heat, even though we can't see it.
Compared to visible light, ultraviolet light has shorter wavelengths and more energy. Some types of UV light can harm living things, causing damage like sunburn, but the atmosphere largely absorbs them.
Gamma rays have the shortest wavelengths and, thus, the highest energy. Fortunately, Earth's atmosphere blocks them from reaching the surface.
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