How is the energy of the sun transferred through the void of space?

1 Answer
May 8, 2016

Radiative transfer

Explanation:

There are three main modes of energy transfer that most scientists are concerned with are...

  1. Radiation 2. Convection 3. conduction

In this case, the sun is able to transmit its energy through the void of space to Earth because the sun emits its energy via radiation. When the sun "burns" its fuel its creating all types of electromagnetic radiation waves. It emits all the way from radio waves to gamma rays, peaking in the visible spectrum (the light we can see).

When that energy is created it blows out from the sun in all directions eventually reaching Earth and because the energy it creates comes in the form of radiation waves, it doesn't require other matter to transport its energy. The other two types of radiation (convection and conduction) require other matter such as air or your body to transfer the energy.http://www.solpass.org/science6-8-new/standards/standard_ps7.html?section=study-3