Why is the “space” between the sun and earth cold?

[bigtalker]

This may be an elementary question but I cannot find a straight answer out there. Yes, I am seriously asking – no tricks.
How does the suns heat transfer to earth while the space it transfers through is colder than the surface of earth?

Danke und Tschüß!

 

[Ravi]

What's Outer Space like? Space-Extreme of cold and hot temperature (1)

 

[Old Rocks]

Heat or cold is a property of matter. If the atoms are within the matter are moving fast, it is hot. If moving very slow, the matter is cold. Space is a vacuum, nothing. A vacuum or nothing, cannot have the property of being either hot or cold.

 

[goldcatt]

Heat or cold is a property of matter. If the atoms are within the matter are moving fast, it is hot. If moving very slow, the matter is cold. Space is a vacuum, nothing. A vacuum or nothing, cannot have the property of being either hot or cold.

^^^This.

The sun's energy moves through space, but if there's no matter for it to be transferred to energy itself has no temperature.

Space isn't a total vacuum, but it's close enough that the sun's energy can't really "heat it up" the way it does, say, the Earth's atmosphere. In other words it's not about the sun, it's about what its energy is or isn't hitting.

 

[bigtalker]

awesome! - thank you everyone for helping me understand
güten tag!

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Heat or cold is a property of matter. If the atoms are within the matter are moving fast, it is hot. If moving very slow, the matter is cold. Space is a vacuum, nothing. A vacuum or nothing, cannot have the property of being either hot or cold.

Space is not a vacuum. If it were a vacuum the Sun would have no affect on the temperature of the Earth. Since we both know that the Sun does indeed affect the Earth's temperature, I am sure we can also agree that you are completely ignorant about basic physics.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Heat or cold is a property of matter. If the atoms are within the matter are moving fast, it is hot. If moving very slow, the matter is cold. Space is a vacuum, nothing. A vacuum or nothing, cannot have the property of being either hot or cold.

^^^This.

The sun's energy moves through space, but if there's no matter for it to be transferred to energy itself has no temperature.

Space isn't a total vacuum, but it's close enough that the sun's energy can't really "heat it up" the way it does, say, the Earth's atmosphere. In other words it's not about the sun, it's about what its energy is or isn't hitting.

You are clo9ser to the truth than Old Rocks, but I will be nicer to you because you do not claim any expertise in science.

The temperature of space between the Earth and the Sun is warmer that the space between Mars and the Sun. The reason the Earth is warmer than the space surrounding it is because the Earth is denser, and has a layer that serves as a blanket to insulate it from the colder space. Additionally, the Earth is warmed internally, which has a small, but significant, effect on the temperature.

The very fact that heat moves through space at all proves it is not a vacuum, because a perfect vacuum would be perfect insulation.

 

[goldcatt]

Heat or cold is a property of matter. If the atoms are within the matter are moving fast, it is hot. If moving very slow, the matter is cold. Space is a vacuum, nothing. A vacuum or nothing, cannot have the property of being either hot or cold.

^^^This.

The sun's energy moves through space, but if there's no matter for it to be transferred to energy itself has no temperature.

Space isn't a total vacuum, but it's close enough that the sun's energy can't really "heat it up" the way it does, say, the Earth's atmosphere. In other words it's not about the sun, it's about what its energy is or isn't hitting.

You are clo9ser to the truth than Old Rocks, but I will be nicer to you because you do not claim any expertise in science.

The temperature of space between the Earth and the Sun is warmer that the space between Mars and the Sun. The reason the Earth is warmer than the space surrounding it is because the Earth is denser, and has a layer that serves as a blanket to insulate it from the colder space. Additionally, the Earth is warmed internally, which has a small, but significant, effect on the temperature.

The very fact that heat moves through space at all proves it is not a vacuum, because a perfect vacuum would be perfect insulation.

I think you're maybe getting a little far afield for the audience when you start interjecting planetary heat flux distribution and thermal process in a general question like the OP. Just sayin'.

 

[Dante]

^^^This.

The sun's energy moves through space, but if there's no matter for it to be transferred to energy itself has no temperature.

Space isn't a total vacuum, but it's close enough that the sun's energy can't really "heat it up" the way it does, say, the Earth's atmosphere. In other words it's not about the sun, it's about what its energy is or isn't hitting.

You are clo9ser to the truth than Old Rocks, but I will be nicer to you because you do not claim any expertise in science.

The temperature of space between the Earth and the Sun is warmer that the space between Mars and the Sun. The reason the Earth is warmer than the space surrounding it is because the Earth is denser, and has a layer that serves as a blanket to insulate it from the colder space. Additionally, the Earth is warmed internally, which has a small, but significant, effect on the temperature.

The very fact that heat moves through space at all proves it is not a vacuum, because a perfect vacuum would be perfect insulation.

I think you're maybe getting a little far afield for the audience when you start interjecting planetary heat flux distribution and thermal process in a general question like the OP. Just sayin'.

lives up to the name of Windbagh.?

 

[goldcatt]

You are clo9ser to the truth than Old Rocks, but I will be nicer to you because you do not claim any expertise in science.

The temperature of space between the Earth and the Sun is warmer that the space between Mars and the Sun. The reason the Earth is warmer than the space surrounding it is because the Earth is denser, and has a layer that serves as a blanket to insulate it from the colder space. Additionally, the Earth is warmed internally, which has a small, but significant, effect on the temperature.

The very fact that heat moves through space at all proves it is not a vacuum, because a perfect vacuum would be perfect insulation.

I think you're maybe getting a little far afield for the audience when you start interjecting planetary heat flux distribution and thermal process in a general question like the OP. Just sayin'.

lives up to the name of Windbagh.?

I'll be generous and say "pays attention to every little detail". I'm in that kind of mood today.

 

[Dante]

Outer space is the closest natural approximation of a perfect vacuum. It has effectively no friction, allowing stars, planets and moons to move freely along ideal gravitational trajectories.

However, even in the deep vacuum of intergalactic space there are still a few hydrogen atoms per cubic meter.

The deep vacuum of space could make it an attractive environment for certain industrial processes, for instance those that require ultraclean surfaces.[21]

Outer space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

note for anal rectal obsessed one: actually one paragraph

 

[goldcatt]

And how this relates to the OP is......(wait for it)......

The way the molecules are distributed affects how effectively the space they occupy "heats up" when they are energized and begin to move faster. So molecules that are very widely spaced, such as the tiny amounts of matter floating around in space between Earth and the Sun, aren't going to generate anywhere near the amount of heat per volume than the amount of molecules packed into Earth's atmosphere, for example.

Think of it like the flame from a match. If you have one match in a big room, it's not going to affect the temperature of the room in a meaningful way no matter how hot it is. But when you confine that same match to a tiny little box, it heats up the space effectively. Similar principle.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

^^^This.

The sun's energy moves through space, but if there's no matter for it to be transferred to energy itself has no temperature.

Space isn't a total vacuum, but it's close enough that the sun's energy can't really "heat it up" the way it does, say, the Earth's atmosphere. In other words it's not about the sun, it's about what its energy is or isn't hitting.

You are clo9ser to the truth than Old Rocks, but I will be nicer to you because you do not claim any expertise in science.

The temperature of space between the Earth and the Sun is warmer that the space between Mars and the Sun. The reason the Earth is warmer than the space surrounding it is because the Earth is denser, and has a layer that serves as a blanket to insulate it from the colder space. Additionally, the Earth is warmed internally, which has a small, but significant, effect on the temperature.

The very fact that heat moves through space at all proves it is not a vacuum, because a perfect vacuum would be perfect insulation.

I think you're maybe getting a little far afield for the audience when you start interjecting planetary heat flux distribution and thermal process in a general question like the OP. Just sayin'.

Perhaps.

But I prefer to think people are intelligent, and capable of understanding anything I can. I have never been disappointed, and people generally prefer to be treated with respect.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

You are clo9ser to the truth than Old Rocks, but I will be nicer to you because you do not claim any expertise in science.

The temperature of space between the Earth and the Sun is warmer that the space between Mars and the Sun. The reason the Earth is warmer than the space surrounding it is because the Earth is denser, and has a layer that serves as a blanket to insulate it from the colder space. Additionally, the Earth is warmed internally, which has a small, but significant, effect on the temperature.

The very fact that heat moves through space at all proves it is not a vacuum, because a perfect vacuum would be perfect insulation.

I think you're maybe getting a little far afield for the audience when you start interjecting planetary heat flux distribution and thermal process in a general question like the OP. Just sayin'.

lives up to the name of Windbagh.?

Are the concepts to far above your education? If so, I can suggest some reading for you.

Or did you think she was saying I didn't know what I am taking about?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Outer space is the closest natural approximation of a perfect vacuum. It has effectively no friction, allowing stars, planets and moons to move freely along ideal gravitational trajectories.

However, even in the deep vacuum of intergalactic space there are still a few hydrogen atoms per cubic meter.

The deep vacuum of space could make it an attractive environment for certain industrial processes, for instance those that require ultraclean surfaces.[21]

Outer space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

note for anal rectal obsessed one: actually one paragraph

There are different degrees of vacuum in "outer space."

Outer space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Quantum Windbag]

And how this relates to the OP is......(wait for it)......

The way the molecules are distributed affects how effectively the space they occupy "heats up" when they are energized and begin to move faster. So molecules that are very widely spaced, such as the tiny amounts of matter floating around in space between Earth and the Sun, aren't going to generate anywhere near the amount of heat per volume than the amount of molecules packed into Earth's atmosphere, for example.

Think of it like the flame from a match. If you have one match in a big room, it's not going to affect the temperature of the room in a meaningful way no matter how hot it is. But when you confine that same match to a tiny little box, it heats up the space effectively. Similar principle.

True enough.

 

[Dante]

Windbagh issued a 'true enough'

thank gawd. now we can all sleep tonight

 

[Toro]

This is a science question, and only 6% of scientists are Republicans.

 

[daveman]

Heat or cold is a property of matter. If the atoms are within the matter are moving fast, it is hot. If moving very slow, the matter is cold. Space is a vacuum, nothing. A vacuum or nothing, cannot have the property of being either hot or cold.

^^^This.

The sun's energy moves through space, but if there's no matter for it to be transferred to energy itself has no temperature.

Space isn't a total vacuum, but it's close enough that the sun's energy can't really "heat it up" the way it does, say, the Earth's atmosphere. In other words it's not about the sun, it's about what its energy is or isn't hitting.

You are clo9ser to the truth than Old Rocks, but I will be nicer to you because you do not claim any expertise in science.

The temperature of space between the Earth and the Sun is warmer that the space between Mars and the Sun. The reason the Earth is warmer than the space surrounding it is because the Earth is denser, and has a layer that serves as a blanket to insulate it from the colder space. Additionally, the Earth is warmed internally, which has a small, but significant, effect on the temperature.

The very fact that heat moves through space at all proves it is not a vacuum, because a perfect vacuum would be perfect insulation.

Ummmm...no. Electromagnetic radiation moves more efficiently through a perfect vacuum than it does through non-vacuum, because none of the energy is absorbed or reflected.

The radiant energy of the sun is responsible for heating the objects in orbit around it, with the notable exception of Jupiter and Saturn, which radiate more energy than they receive from the sun, due to the enormous heat energy created by their condensation from the disk of matter orbiting the sun.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

It's because there are no SUV's in space to pump out CO2