[Phys-L] IR radiation balance. Was: Re: Electric Field

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@REDSHIFT.COM>]

"I know I am buying natural gas because of its ability to increase the
random motion of the molecules in the air in my house."


More important is IR radiation from the walls.  Hewitt's book taught me
this.  Now I know why in the Summer my thermometer * may read 20 C and
I'm uncomfortably warm, while in the Winter I'm still cool at 24 C.
This explains the efficiency of the Big Dish type IR heaters.

* reads mainly the air temp.

bc, enjoying an unusually warm and dry spell in the Monterey Bay area.

Rick Tarara wrote:

> I think it is hard not to reify these concepts--especially energy.  As the
> temperature around here is heading towards single digits on the Fahrenheit
> scale I know I am buying natural gas because of its ability to increase the
> random motion of the molecules in the air in my house.  However, it's sure
> easier to say I'm buying energy from the gas company and I'm burning the gas
> for the energy it will release.  It becomes very awkward to NOT talk about
> energy as something real.  [After an initial disclaimer in my 21st Century
> Energy class, I don't even try.]
>
> For field lines it may not be quite as hard, until you do something like the
> iron filings demo with magnets--or one of the fancier demos with electric
> fields.  The 'lines' get drawn for you.  Hard not to give them some level of
> reality.
>
> Rick
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Spagna Jr., George" <gspagna@RMC.EDU>
>
>
>
> > Part of the challenge with finding ways to draw the field lines is that
> > the lines do not exist!  We have heard myriad warnings not to reify
> > concepts like energy ... let's not reify "lines of force" either.
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