Question

Why can the sun transmit heat to Earth only by radiation?

The space between the sun and Earth contains almost no matter.

Radiation transmits heat through the motion of a gas.

Radiation does not require the creation of electromagnetic waves.

The molecules in the sun are moving too fast to cause conduction.

Answer 1

Do you have any thoughts on this one?

Answer 2

Either A or B make the most sense to me :/

Answer 3

Alright! So one of those explains why all the heat comes from radiation.

Do either of them seem false?

Answer 4

A possibly seems false

Answer 5

Because its talking about transmitting? And the sun is gas right?

Answer 6

Ah! I see your train of thought! But it's actually A.

There is almost nothing in space, so it's like a vacuum.

Heat that travels from like a boiling water to food is because of molecules moving around with energy in the water, and bumping into other molecules, until the food is bumped and gets warm too!

Now, B is false. Radiation is changing electric and magnetic fields, and they aren't hot. They have energy, that can become heat when the radiation is absorbed. It does not need go through gas. That would be the thing like the water in the pot warming your food.

Answer 7

"That would be the thing like the water in the pot warming your food," referring to the gas getting hot and warming the Earth would be like that... But that's not how radiation works. Also, there aren't many molecules bumping around in space!

Answer 8

Thanks for the help :)

Answer 9

My pleasure!