Understanding Energy Transfer: From Atoms to Photons and Beyond

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In summary: This was a lot of information to take in and I'm looking forward to your responses.In summary, convection, conduction, and radiation are the ways that energy is transferred from one location to another. Molecularly, this happens when the molecules of a hot body are moving faster than the molecules of a cold body. Convection happens when the molecules of air around the hot body receive the energy. Radiation is when light energy strikes the molecules of an object and causes them to bounce around.
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JoshWolff7
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I understand that convection, conduction, and radiation are the modes of transferring energy, but - molecularly - how does this work? Is it transferred from one atom to another? If so, why do physicists say that light energy is made of photons - particles? Referring to quantum mechanics, is it not true that there are no real such things as particles? If I was to hypothesize with the tool of parsimony, then I would say that there are many dimensions, and that the space itself can vibrate, its vibrations within itself vary in frequency and these variations make up everything...Anything wrong with that? Please prove me wrong and explain! I'm going to end this thread before I add another topic...
Thanks,
Josh
 
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JoshWolff7 said:
I understand that convection, conduction, and radiation are the modes of transferring energy, but - molecularly - how does this work?
Conduction: the molecules on the hot body are bouncing around more quickly than the molecules in the cold body. Bring them together, and the fast-moving molecules will hit the slow-moving ones, speeding them up while the fast-movers slow down.

Convection: just like conduction, except that it's the molecules of air around the hot body that receive the energy from the fast-moving molecules. Then the air rises and its now-faster-moving molecules heat something else up.

Radiation: light energy strikes the molecules of an object, causing them to bounce around more quickly. You could think of that as bombarding the object with photons.

Referring to quantum mechanics, is it not true that there are no real such things as particles?
No, not true.

If I was to hypothesize with the tool of parsimony, then I would say that there are many dimensions, and that the space itself can vibrate, its vibrations within itself vary in frequency and these variations make up everything...Anything wrong with that? Please prove me wrong and explain! I'm going to end this thread before I add another topic...

You're getting ahead of yourself here... Don't go hypothesizing new answers to questions until you know which questions already have answers.
 
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Nugatory said:

You're getting ahead of yourself here... Don't go hypothesizing new answers to questions until you know which questions already have answers.

That notice should be nailed at the top of every thread!
 
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Just to precise a bit Nugatory's answer:
Nugatory said:
Convection: just like conduction, except that it's the molecules of air around the hot body that receive the energy from the fast-moving molecules. Then the air rises and its now-faster-moving molecules heat something else up.
Actually, only the part where "air rises" is convection. The body-to-air and air-to-air parts are still conduction. Convection appears whenever energy moves with the object (e.g. hot liquid moving up due to pressure difference... and that's the extend of my knowledge for natural cases of convection)

Nugatory said:
Radiation: light energy strikes the molecules of an object, causing them to bounce around more quickly. You could think of that as bombarding the object with photons.
Another part of radiation is the light (mostly infrared at usual temperatures) emitted by an object, which uses up some fraction of the molecules' energy. So any warm object without conduction or incoming radiation will eventually cool down.
 
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Thank you everyone!
 

Related to Understanding Energy Transfer: From Atoms to Photons and Beyond

1. How is energy transferred?

Energy can be transferred through various means such as heat, work, or radiation. Heat transfer occurs when energy is transferred from a warmer object to a cooler one. Work transfer occurs when a force is applied to an object and it moves in the direction of the force. Radiation transfer is the transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves.

2. What is the law of conservation of energy?

The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted from one form to another. This means that the total amount of energy in a closed system will remain constant.

3. How does energy transfer affect the environment?

Energy transfer can have both positive and negative effects on the environment. For example, the transfer of solar energy through solar panels is a renewable and clean source of energy, while the burning of fossil fuels for energy release harmful pollutants into the environment. It is important to consider the impact of energy transfer on the environment and prioritize sustainable and clean energy sources.

4. How is energy transferred in living organisms?

In living organisms, energy is primarily transferred through the process of cellular respiration. This is the process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the main source of energy for cellular activities. Energy is also transferred through food chains and food webs, as organisms consume and break down other living organisms for energy.

5. Can energy be transferred between different forms?

Yes, energy can be transferred between different forms. This is known as energy conversion. For example, the chemical energy in food is converted into mechanical energy when we move our muscles. Energy can also be converted between potential energy (stored energy) and kinetic energy (energy of motion), such as in the case of a rolling ball.

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