Infrared Radiation - GCSE Physics Definition

Infrared radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is invisible to the human eye and lies beyond the red end of the visible light spectrum. It has longer wavelengths than visible light, typically from around 700 nanometres to 1 millimetre. Infrared radiation is primarily associated with heat, as it is emitted by all objects based on their temperature, with hotter objects emitting more infrared radiation. It plays a significant role in everyday applications such as remote controls for televisions, thermal imaging cameras used by emergency services, and even in astronomy for observing distant objects in space. Understanding infrared radiation is important in GCSE Physics as it helps explain energy transfer processes like thermal conduction and radiation.