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Joseph Gress wrote:
I am puzzled by how a radiometer works. It makes sense to me that
. . .
Joseph Gress
Joseph,
You are speaking of the Crookes Radiometer. Conventional Wisdom treats
this as a thermal phenomenon. The container is NOT a high vacuum. The
blackened side of the vane absorbs better than the reflective side and
so attains a slightly higher temperature. The result is a higher air
(not radiation) pressure on the blakened side. I'm sure that Jearl
Walker's "Circus" book gives more details and references for this - I
don't have it handy. (In a high vaccuum, the radiation pressure would
dominate, and your expectation would be realized.)
--
Bob Sciamanda sciamanda@edinboro.edu