3.1.2

Thermal Capacity & Insulation

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Uses of Energy Transfer

Conduction, convection, and radiation are used a lot in everyday life.

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Solar panels

  • The solar panels that generate electricity are dark so that they can absorb the maximum amount of the sunlight hitting them.
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Radiators

  • Radiators are used for heating.
  • A radiator’s primary way of heating a room is actually convection.
  • If the primary way was radiation, then they should be painted black, as this is the colour that best emits radiation.
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Vacuum flasks

  • A vacuum flask keeps drinks hot or cold.
  • Outside of the container, there is a vacuum layer (with no air in) surrounded by walls lined with silver.
  • There aren’t any particles in the vacuum layer, so heat cannot be lost to the environment via conduction or convection.
  • The silvered walls are good reflectors and poor emitters of heat. This also reduces the heat transferred by radiation.

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