GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Short wavelength heat energy penetrates through the glass of the greenhouse and heats up the
objects inside. The heat energy released is of a longer wavelength and is not able to penetrate
the glass so the heat energy is trapped close to the Earth’s surface. As a result, the
temperature of the Earth’s surface increases contributing to global warming.

SOLAR WATER HEATER

This piece of equipment comprises a dull black surface, copper wiring, glass, rubber insulators
and shiny white tank.
1. The dull black surface is a good absorber of heat energy, causing the trapping of heat
energy from sunlight.
2. The copper wire is used to heat the water entering the heater. Copper is a very good
conductor of heat making it ideal to heat the cold water entering the heater.
3. Glass is used to cover the other components of the heater. It is used to create a
greenhouse effect, i.e, traps heat energy by keeping long wavelengths of heat energy
from exiting.
4. Shiny white is an extremely good reflector, which protects the cold water while
entering the heater. This prevents the heater from overheating the water.
5. The tank and copper wiring (tubing) is insulted with rubber. This way the rubber keeps
heat out from the tank and it keeps the heat of the water transported out of the heater
by the copper tubing, preventing heat loss.

THERMAL FLASK
➔ These flasks comprises of two layers separated by a vacuum 1. They prevent heat loss or
heat gain to the substances stored inside.
➔ Conduction is totally prevented through the sides of the flask by the vacuum between
the double glass walls of the bottle.
➔ The cork of the flask is generally made of plastic. This contains a lot of trapped air. The
combination of these two factors makes the cover a very a bad conductor.
➔ Convection too is totally prevented by the vacuum.
➔ Radiation is more difficult to prevent because it can possibly travel through the
vacuum. This loss is also prevented by the silver coatings on the glass walls of the
bottle. Radiant heat travelling either into the flask or out of the flask is reflected by the
shiny surfaces back the way they came.

1 An area where no air particles are present.