Infrared Radiation (Oxford AQA IGCSE Physics)
Revision Note
Written by: Leander Oates
Reviewed by: Caroline Carroll
Infrared Radiation
All objects emit and absorb infrared radiation
The hotter an object is, the more infrared radiation it radiates in a given time
The colour of an object, and whether its surface is matt or shiny, affects how good it is at emitting and absorbing infrared radiation
Dark, matt surfaces are good absorbers and good emitters of infrared radiation
Light, shiny surfaces are poor absorbers and poor emitters of infrared radiation
Light, shiny surfaces are good reflectors of infrared radiation
Emission and absorption of infrared radiation
Black cars get much hotter than white cars in the summer because black objects are good absorbers of infrared radiation
However, a black car will cool down much faster than a white car at the same temperature because black objects are also good emitters of infrared radiation
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