Is infrared light electromagnetic radiation or just heat?

[kevin123]

Hi guys

I know we feel infrared light as heat but my question is that is infrared a kind of light or just heat ?

Thank you

 

[sophiecentaur]

Hi guys

I know we feel infrared light as heat but my question is that is infrared a kind of light or just heat ?

Thank you

There's no exact answer to that because it just relies on a rather fuzzy categorisation of Electromagnetic Waves with frequencies just less than visible light. IR tends to be used to describe EM waves that can be generated, transmitted and detected in much the same way as Visible Light. (but we cannot see it). Hot objects can be detected by the EM waves they emit. We call it Radiated Heat - another slightly approximate term but we know what we mean. But all objects will radiate all wavelengths of Electromatic Waves to a greater or lesser extent.

 

[CWatters]

Infrared light is light. Electromagnetic energy can be produced at a range of different wave lengths. We call that range a spectrum. The spectrum for light is divided into sections such as visible light, ultra violet light and infrared light.

We tend to use "heat radiation" and "infra red radiation" to mean the same thing but actually light of any frequency can heat something if it's absorbed.

Perhaps the short answer is that it's both. Infra red light is a type of light and a type of heat.

 

[sophiecentaur]

Infrared light is light. Electromagnetic energy can be produced at a range of different wave lengths. We call that range a spectrum. The spectrum for light is divided into sections such as visible light, ultra violet light and infrared light.

We tend to use "heat radiation" and "infra red radiation" to mean the same thing but actually light of any frequency can heat something if it's absorbed.

I wouldn't disagree with that but it does show that the word "light" can (or not) be taken to mean visible EM waves. You'd have to ask yourself when does the 'light-ness' of EM waves of a few hundred nanometers wavelength stop.
One can lose a lot of sleep worrying about such classification questions and never get anywhere useful.

 

[CWatters]

I wouldn't disagree with that but it does show that the word "light" can (or not) be taken to mean visible EM waves. You'd have to ask yourself when does the 'light-ness' of EM waves of a few hundred nanometers wavelength stop.
One can lose a lot of sleep worrying about such classification questions and never get anywhere useful.

Good point. If the IR comes from a heater we call it heat but if it comes from your TV remote control we call it light.

 

[davenn]

Hi guys

I know we feel infrared light as heat but my question is that is infrared a kind of light or just heat ?

Thank you

We tend to use "heat radiation" and "infra red radiation" to mean the same thing but actually light of any frequency can heat something if it's absorbed.

that is the answer

Good point. If the IR comes from a heater we call it heat but if it comes from your TV remote control we call it light.

That's just an observation. Your previous comment covers it
if you increase the output of the remote control to that of your 1 bar heater ... you WILL feel heat

Perhaps the short answer is that it's both. Infra red light is a type of light and a type of heat.

The point is, it is EM. It is neither heat nor light in itself EM is EM is EM be it low freq radio, high freq microwave radio, IR, visile light, x-rays or gamma rays

NONE of them are HEAT, and we only call a section of it light BECAUSE we can see it ( it happens to fall within our eyes sensitivity range).

A kilowatt of microwave EM "heats" an object just as any other wavelength does

ALL EM energy will heat an object as it absorbs photons


Dave

 

[ZapperZ]

Hi guys

I know we feel infrared light as heat but my question is that is infrared a kind of light or just heat ?

Thank you

This links gives you a simple look at the EM spectrum.

https://sites.google.com/site/chempendix/em-spectrum

Do you see anything familiar here that might answer your question?

Zz.

 

[Khashishi]

The word heat doesn't describe a particular kind of energy, but rather labels it based on how it behaves and flows. On the other hand, electromagnetic waves are a kind of energy. Infrared light is electromagnetic waves, just like visible light. Usually physicists use the term light to mean any kind of electromagnetic wave, but sometimes it also just means visible light.