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GCSE Physics · key term
Electromagnetic radiation emitted by a body because of its temperature.
Used by Edexcel and OCR
Specification 5.15P, 5.16P, 5.19P · Paper 1
Electromagnetic waves emitted by a body because of its temperature.
Revise: Emission and TemperatureEvery body emits electromagnetic waves because it has a temperature. This emission is called thermal radiation. An object at room temperature emits mainly infrared radiation, which our eyes cannot see.
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The transfer of thermal energy by electromagnetic waves, chiefly infrared radiation; it does not require a medium.
Specification P8.3d · Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 4 (Higher)
Revise: Radiation emissionAll bodies emit thermal radiation as electromagnetic waves. This includes objects that do not feel hot: a person, a table and the Earth all emit radiation. An object does not need to be glowing for this to happen, and electromagnetic radiation can travel through a vacuum, so no material medium is required.
Paper 1, Paper 2
Electromagnetic radiation emitted by an object because of its temperature.