Hot! Hot! Hot! A Look into Infrared Waves

Most of us would agree that we enjoy the luxuries of present day life, though without understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum we would be much less advanced. Knowing about radio waves allows us to have radios and televisions. Without those two huge forms of communication and entertainment who knows where we would be. Food would still be cooking on solely on the stove top and oven without the knowledge of microwaves. Understanding ultraviolet rays can prevent us to not get sun burned by using ultraviolet protection lotion- sun screen. The list can go on and on. Though the section that has the most objects on Earth that emit its radiation is the infrared section, which almost every object on Earth emits these rays.

Have you ever wondered how military units can see in the dark? The answer is simple: they are using technology that shows the infrared section of the electromagnetic spectrum. This section of the electromagnetic spectrum has a frequency of 300 GHz to 400 THz and a wavelength of 1 micrometer to 1,000 micrometers- about the size of a grain of sand (NASA Space Place). What these technologies detect is heat being radiated by say, a human or animal.

Picture of a Person: Courtesy of Cool Cosmos

These rays are actually the movement of chemically bonded atoms or groups of atoms in materials. Which create friction that in turn create infrared rays or more commonly known as heat.
From knowing that infrared rays are heat the only real safety considerations that can be deduced is don’t be by something to hot because too much infrared radiation can create a burn. Infrared waves are also used in remotes and cameras. Some cameras are taken of space and the earth to learn more about the nature of both (NASA Kids). Even in the natural world infrared rays are used; the viper family has infrared pits to see their prey in the dark.

Picture of Cat in Infrared: Courtesy of NASA

Clearly infrared waves are a huge section of the electromagnetic section. They have advanced our understanding of not only our world but even space. Also, it has advanced our military so we are not limited to operations in the daylight. Also, with the way infrared waves interact with matter (by heating them) it keeps us alive, hints the term huddle together when warm, this works because you are sharing infrared radiation with each other. Without this section of the electromagnetic section it would be very hard for us to even survive and we would not be as civilized even if we could survive.

Works Cited

Adustum. "INFRARED RAYS." Think Quest. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2010.

http://library.thinkquest.org/C006027/html-ver/es-infra.html>.

Angelo, Joseph A. "Infrared (IR) Radiation." Science Online. INFOhio, 2003. Web. 31 Mar. 2010. <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=DSTS1351&SingleRecord=True>.

IPAC. "Near, Mid, and Far Infrared." Infrared Astronomy. NASA, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2010.

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