• Home
  • What Is Infrared Used For?
Technology

What Is Infrared Used For?

Infrared (IR) light is used by electrical heaters, cookers for cooking food, short-range communications like remote controls, optical fibres, security systems and thermal imaging cameras which detect people in the dark.
Click to see the full answer

Radio waves, microwaves, infrared and visible light

The behaviour of an electromagnetic (EM) wave in a substance depends on its frequency. The differing behaviours of different groups in the electromagnetic spectrum make them suitable for a range of uses. With increasing frequency, EM waves become progressively more hazardous.

Radio waves

Radio waves are used for communication such as broadcasting television and radio, communications and satellite transmissions.

Radio waves are transmitted easily through air. They do not cause damage if absorbed by the human body, and they can be reflected to change their direction. These properties make them ideal for communications.

Radio waves can be produced by oscillations in electrical circuits. When radio waves are absorbed by a conductor, they create an alternating current. This electrical current has the same frequency as the radio waves. Information is coded into the wave before transmission, which can then be decoded when the wave is received. Television and radio systems use this principle to broadcast information.

Microwaves

Microwaves are used for cooking food, communications and for satellite communications. Intense sources of microwaves can be dangerous through internal heating of body cells.

Microwaves - Higher

High frequency microwaves have frequencies which are easily absorbed by molecules in food. The internal energy of the molecules increases when they absorb microwaves, which causes heating. Microwaves pass easily through the atmosphere, so they can pass between stations on Earth and satellites in orbit.

Infrared

Infrared (IR) light is used by electrical heaters, cookers for cooking food, short-range communications like remote controls, optical fibres, security systems and thermal imaging cameras which detect people in the dark. The heating effect of IR can cause burns to the skin.

Infrared - Higher

Infrared light has frequencies which are absorbed by some chemical bonds. The internal energy of the bonds increases when they absorb infrared light, which causes heating. This makes infrared light useful for electrical heaters and for cooking food. All objects emit infrared light. The human eye cannot see this light, but infrared cameras can detect it. This ‘thermal imaging’ is useful for detecting people in the dark.

Visible light

Visible light is the light we can see, so is used in photography and illumination. It is also used in fibre optic communications, where coded pulses of light travel through glass fibres from a source to a receiver.

14 Related questions Answers found

What is infared used for?

One of the most common uses of infrared radiation is in heat-sensitive thermal imaging cameras. These can be used to study human and animal body heat patterns, but more often, they are used as night-vision cameras. These have uses in warfare, as security cameras and in nocturnal animal research.

What are infrared devices used for?

Infrared devices and technologies are used for weight loss, cellulite treatment, body remodeling, beauty treatments, and wellness. Infrared (IR) is a type of electromagnetic radiation that has the ability to stimulate living tissues resulting in numerous biological responses.

What is infrared light therapy?

Infrared therapy is a new and innovative light-based method to treat pain and inflammation in various parts of the body. Unlike ultraviolet light, which can damage the skin, infrared light enhances cell regeneration.

Is infrared good for arthritis?

Results from red and infrared light treatment can include general temporary pain relief of associated effects like muscle and joint aches, arthritis and tendonitis, and muscle spasms. As well as the removal of toxins, unwanted cellular matter.

Can you get too much infrared?

Dr. Sharma says the dry heat generated in an infrared sauna can cause you to become overheated, and if used for a prolonged session, it can also cause dehydration and even heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Is infrared light good for you?

Unlike ultraviolet light - which has damaging effects upon the tissues and cells of the body - infrared light helps cells regenerate or repair themselves. Infrared light also improves the circulation of oxygen-rich blood in the body, promoting faster healing of deep tissues and relieving pain.

Where infrared can be used?

Infrared is used in a variety of applications. Among the most well-known are heat sensors, thermal imaging and night vision equipment. In communications and networking, infrared light is used in wired and wireless operations.

What are the harmful effects of infrared?

Prolonged exposure to IR radiation causes a gradual but irreversible opacity of the lens. Other forms of damage to the eye from IR exposure include scotoma, which is a loss of vision due to the damage to the retina. Even low-level IR absorption can cause symptoms such as redness of the eye, swelling, or hemorrhaging.

Is infrared harmful to humans?

No, infrared radiation from heaters is not harmful to health. The effect of electromagnetic radiation, such as infrared radiation, on people, depends on: 1. The frequency of the radiation: visible radiation, such as UV or X-rays, can damage genetic material.

What household items have infrared?

Household items using infrared radiation. These are a toaster, a remote control and an electric heater. Infrared is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with a longer wavelength that red light. It is felt as heat.

What household item uses infrared waves?

Household appliances such as heat lamps and toasters use IR radiation to transmit heat, as do industrial heaters such as those used for drying and curing materials.

Why does infrared feel hot?

Infrared energy is felt as heat because it interacts with molecules by exciting them, causing them to move faster which increases the internal temperature of the object absorbing the infrared energy.

How is infrared used in everyday life?

Infrared (IR) light is used by electrical heaters, cookers for cooking food, short-range communications like remote controls, optical fibres, security systems and thermal imaging cameras which detect people in the dark.

How is infrared used by humans?

We have many uses for infrared: night-vision cameras, remote controls, infrared astronomy, and fiber-optic cables. The greenhouse effect is even related to infrared waves because greenhouse gases absorb the infrared emitted by the ground, trapping it on the Earth.