Solar Energy Light Or Heat

Solar concentrators collect heat instead of light focusing the sun s rays to heat up a contained fluid.

Solar energy light or heat.

The electromagnetic spectrum exists as waves of different frequencies and wavelengths. Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the sun that is harnessed using a range of ever evolving technologies such as solar heating photovoltaics solar thermal energy solar architecture molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis. Solar energy can be collected and used to heat buildings and to make electricity. Tom zepf of the physics department at creighton university in omaha neb notes that sunlight heats a material such as water or a brick primarily because the long wavelength or infrared portion.

A solar thermal collector collects heat by absorbing sunlight. The energy heat and light from the sun flow away in the form of electromagnetic radiation emr. It may seem counter intuitive but solar panel efficiency is affected negatively by temperature increases. Swbat collect evidence through experimentation that light energy from the sun can be transferred to thermal energy heat.

The term solar collector commonly refers to a device for solar hot water heating but may refer to large power generating installations such as solar parabolic troughs and solar towers or non water heating devices such as solar air heaters. This can then be used to generate electricity say as steam turning a turbine or more. The total amount of solar energy incident on earth is vastly in excess of the world s current and anticipated energy requirements. Solar energy warms the earth causes wind and weather and sustains plant and animal life.