Thermal Energy and Efficiency: Harnessing Electromagnetic Radiation

Learning intentions

Students will:

• recognise the significance of electromagnetic radiation in the form of infrared and visible light and understand how they impact the Earth's energy balance.
• investigate the relationship between material properties, specifically colour and reflectivity, and their role in designing energy-efficient buildings, with a focus on climate change mitigation.

Success criteria

Students can:

• recall that visible light and infrared radiation are a part of the electromagnetic spectrum and travel as waves
• describe how radiation interacts with the Earth's surface and contributes to climate change.
• outline how different materials interact with radiation according to their properties
• apply their knowledge of infrared radiation to design an energy efficient house using appropriate materials