Re: an interesting idea...

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: an interesting idea...
• From: John Williams <jwilliams-at-edm-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
• Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 20:45:56 -0600
• Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
• Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Actually "heat" as we encounter it day by day
is the average energy of the random motion of
the particles in the environment.

Certain frequencies of electromagnetic radiation
can increase this molecular motion directly
upon absorption.  And "warm" bodies also
radiate in this band.

It's called infrared radiation.  It is light but
it isn't heat.  Heat is produced when this radiation
interacts with some form of matter.

An infrared laser beam isn't itself hot.  But
the unfortunate thing that happens to get in
the way will be.

Light, in this sense, is like potential energy.
Heat is kinetic energy that can come from
interaction with light.

It's the light radiation that can cross a vacuum
not the heat itself.

...and yes I can be real good at hair splitting.  :)

	John W.

>Original Poster: RolandTedr-at-aol-dot-com
>... Think of heat as a form of light.
>
>Regards,
>Roland Tedrow

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