- #1
weza
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Hello all.
As I'm a newbie here please excuse any misconceptions in my following question concerning the 2nd law of thermodynamics and heat/energy flows.
Although energy will not spontaneously flow from a colder to a warmer object - the colder object still emits IR photons toward the warmer object.
As I understand it this lower energy/freq photons are not absorbed by the warmer object (2nd law) - but what actually happens to them.
My understanding (most likely wrong) is that the lower energy photons are effectively reflected away by the warmer object?
Or are they absorbed and re-emitted immediately without transferring any energy?
Am I missing something here or is my view simply wrong?
Thanks in advance for any guidance on this.
As I'm a newbie here please excuse any misconceptions in my following question concerning the 2nd law of thermodynamics and heat/energy flows.
Although energy will not spontaneously flow from a colder to a warmer object - the colder object still emits IR photons toward the warmer object.
As I understand it this lower energy/freq photons are not absorbed by the warmer object (2nd law) - but what actually happens to them.
My understanding (most likely wrong) is that the lower energy photons are effectively reflected away by the warmer object?
Or are they absorbed and re-emitted immediately without transferring any energy?
Am I missing something here or is my view simply wrong?
Thanks in advance for any guidance on this.