What exactly is radiant heat?
No need to worry – it has nothing to do with either ultraviolet radiation (which gives you a sunburn and damages your skin) or atomic radiation (the kind from a nuclear bomb). Radiant heat is simply a form of energy that heats objects directly through a process called conversation, without having to heat the air in between. Radiant heat is also called infrared energy (IR). The infrared segment of the electromagnetic spectrum is divided into three segments by wave length, measured in microns or micrometers (a micro = 1/1,000,000 meter). The infrared segment of the electromagnetic spectrum occurs just below “infra” to red light as the next lowest energy band of light. This band of light is not visible to human eyes but can be seen by special cameras that translate infrared into colors visible to our eyes. We can, however, feel this type of light which we perceive as heat. Our sun produces most of its energy output in the infrared segment of the spectrum. Out atmosphere has a window in it
