What is the best example of radiation heat?

Radiation is the emission and propagation of energy. A substance does not need to be radioactive in order to emit radiation because radiation encompasses all forms of energy, not just those produced by radioactive decay. However, all radioactive materials do emit radiation.

Radiation is emitted whenever energy is propagated.
A substance does not need to be radioactive to emit radiation.
Not all isotopes of element emit radiation.
Common examples of radiation include light, heat, and alpha particles.

Here are some examples of different types of radiation:

As you can see, most of the examples on this list are examples from the electromagnetic spectrum, but the energy source doesn't need to be light or magnetism to qualify as radiation. Sound, after all, is a different form of energy. Alpha particles are moving, energetic helium nuclei (particles).

It's important to realize isotopes are not always radioactive. For example deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen that is not radioactive. A glass of heavy water at room temperature does not emit radiation. (A warm glass of heavy water emits radiation as heat.)

A more technical example has to do with the definition of radiation. An energy source may be capable of emitting radiation, but if the energy doesn't propagate outward, it's not radiating. Take, for example, a magnetic field. If you hook up a coil of wire to a battery and form an electromagnet, the magnetic field it generates (actually an electromagnetic field) is a form a radiation. However, the magnetic field surrounding the Earth is not typically considered radiation because it's not "detached" or propagating outward off into space.

What, actually, is radiation? Radiation is nothing but emission and propagation of energy. It is, however, not necessary that radiation will only be emitted by radioactive substances. Radiation includes all the forms of energy. It has been a part of the environment since times immemorial. Whatever we do or wherever we go, we cannot escape this form of energy. We are surrounded by a number of radioactive substances like the floors, walls, and roofs of our homes and offices. In addition, radioactive materials are present in the food we eat. Not only this, but the air around us, also, contains radioactive gases. You might find it quite surprising but our own bodies harbour many naturally occurring radioactive elements.

In this article, we are going to take a closer look at the real-life examples of radiation.

1. Sun

One of the most important sources of energy is the Sun. The cosmic radiation emitted from the Sun is a mixture of electromagnetic waves; which range from infrared (IR) to ultraviolet rays (UV). In addition, it also emits visible light. Most of the radiation emitted by the Sun is absorbed by the atmosphere. However, the part which is not absorbed by the atmosphere reaches the earth. Humans are exposed to this part of the radiation almost all times.

2. Burner

While boiling water or cooking food, you are yet again exposed to radiation. The visible sign of radiation is when you heat up a substance as much as you can, say, for example, heating a stove for a long time will make it glow red. This is a visible sign of radiation. However, even if it is visibly not glowing, then also it radiates heat. Moreover, if the stove and the bottom of the pan are not in contact physically, radiation is responsible for transferring heat from the stove to the pan.

3. Television

Television has formed one of the most common forms of entertainment in the past few years. Television, too, emits radiations. The old television sets emit x-ray waves which can easily be absorbed by the human body, and is harmful as well. However, modern TV sets use Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) or Plasma Displays which are not only less harmful than the older sets but are also incapable of producing x-rays. Nonetheless, modern-day technological types of equipment do emit radio waves.

4. Bonfire & Candle

Whenever you would have gone camping, you might have had the chance to set up a bonfire and bask along with your friends. While sitting around the campfire, you are exposed to radiations. Same happens when you light a candle. Exposure to fire also leads to exposure to radiations.

5. Medical Imaging

There is no doubt that during medical imaging, an individual is exposed to radiations at a high level. During an x-ray, CT, and nuclear imaging, the body’s internal organs and structures are revealed by the penetration of high-energy wavelength or particles.

6. Stereo

Radio waves are most commonly used in communication. Television, cell phones, and radios utilise radio waves and, in turn, convert them into vibrations so that sound waves can be created. The artificial sources of radio waves include electrical generators, power lines, appliances and radio transmitters.

7. Oven

To heat food in a microwave oven, high levels of radiation are employed. Food in the microwave oven is heated when microwaves are absorbed by the water content present in the food. Absorption of the microwaves causes water molecules to vibrate and, hence, produce heat.

8. Mobile Phones

This might not come as a surprise for you that mobile phones emit non-ionizing radiations from their antennas. The exposure to radiofrequency radiation causes heating of the area of the body where a mobile phone is being held like near the ear. However, the amount of heat radiated is not sufficient to increase the temperature of the body.

9. Black Light

Large amounts of ultraviolet radiations are produced by tanning booths, black lights, mercury vapour lamps, halogen lights, fluorescent and incandescent sources, and some types of lasers, which are artificial sources of radiation. Black lights, also known as ultraviolet lamps, emit ultraviolet radiation which appears as black light to human eyes.

10. Wifi Router

With the advancement in technology, wifi routers have found their way in each and every household. There can be no denying the fact that wifi has become an important part of our daily life. However, you might be surprised to know that the wifi routers also emit electromagnetic radiations. The exposure to such electromagnetic radiations can also have consequences on human health.

11. Laser Beam

As the name indicates, Light Amplification Stimulated Emission of Radiation also produces radiation. The exposure to laser has often been the cause of temporary blindness, disorientation, and headaches. However, lasers have found widespread uses in lithography, printing, optics, DNA sequencing, medicine and surgery, and laser cutting.