======Exploring Infrared Radiation with a Heat Lamp======


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**Alternative titles:** Feeling Invisible Heat
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Set up an infrared heat lamp in a safe, stable position.  
  - Have students hold their hands at a comfortable distance from the lamp to feel the heat.  
  - Place a sheet of glass between the lamp and their hands, and note whether the warming effect changes.  
  - Repeat with a sheet of plastic and then with aluminum foil.  
  - Compare and discuss which materials block or transmit the infrared radiation.



====Links==== 
  * None available

====Variations====
  * Use different types of plastics (clear vs. opaque) to see how transmission changes.  
  * Test tinted or coated glass, such as sunglasses lenses or car window glass.  
  * Place a thermometer behind each material instead of a hand to collect quantitative data.  
  * Compare IR blocking with visible light transmission (e.g., foil blocks both, glass transmits visible but blocks some IR).



====Safety Precautions====
  * Do not touch the heat lamp, as it becomes very hot.  
  * Keep flammable materials away from the lamp.  
  * Limit exposure time to avoid burns or discomfort.  
  * Use protective stands or holders for materials instead of students holding them close to the lamp.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why can we feel the heat from the lamp even though we cannot see infrared radiation? (Because IR radiation carries energy that is absorbed by our skin as heat.)  
  * Which materials blocked the IR radiation most effectively? Why? (Aluminum foil reflects IR completely, while glass and some plastics allow partial transmission.)  
  * How does this experiment relate to real-world applications such as window coatings or thermal blankets? (These materials are designed to block or reflect infrared radiation to control heat transfer.)  
  * How does infrared radiation differ from visible light? (It has longer wavelengths, is invisible to the human eye, but is detected as heat.)