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

[NYcarbineer]

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!

Because God had only 6 days to make everything, so he cut some corners.

 

[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.

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.

Do you realize that you are stating that electromagnetic radiation cannot traverse a vacuum?

You really need to take a basic physics course, for you obviously have no knowledge of phyics.

 

[mudwhistle]

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.

Funny little fact.....the closer you get to a vacuum the lower the boiling temperature of water. Try pulling a vacuum on a half full jar of water and you can get it to boil at room temp. I believe this is why your blood boils when you enter space without a pressurized suit.

 

[antagon]

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.

photons can travel through a total vacuum.

 

[antagon]

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.

uberfail. no way!

 

[mudwhistle]

^^^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.

uberfail. no way!

Can't light shine through a vacuum?

 

[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.

uberfail. no way!

Can't light go through a vacuum?

Absolutely.

 

[goldcatt]

^^^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.

uberfail. no way!

He's thinking about the sun's energy moving as heat, which requires mass. But the sun's energy moves as just that - electromagnetic energy. Which moves through a vacuum and isn't converted to heat until it encounters mass.

Think we've all confused the poor OP sufficiently yet?

 

[Ravi]

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.

uberfail. no way!

He's thinking about the sun's energy moving as heat, which requires mass. But the sun's energy moves as just that - electromagnetic energy. Which moves through a vacuum and isn't converted to heat until it encounters mass.

Think we've all confused the poor OP sufficiently yet?

Yes, the proper answer was always: Because God says so!

 

[goldcatt]

uberfail. no way!

He's thinking about the sun's energy moving as heat, which requires mass. But the sun's energy moves as just that - electromagnetic energy. Which moves through a vacuum and isn't converted to heat until it encounters mass.

Think we've all confused the poor OP sufficiently yet?

Yes, the proper answer was always: Because God says so!

I think we're in the wrong subforum for that.

 

[Montrovant]

I hereby dub this thread my message board education of the day.

 

[mudwhistle]

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

LINK

 

[mudwhistle]

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.

uberfail. no way!

He's thinking about the sun's energy moving as heat, which requires mass. But the sun's energy moves as just that - electromagnetic energy. Which moves through a vacuum and isn't converted to heat until it encounters mass.

Think we've all confused the poor OP sufficiently yet?

I wouldn't assume that.

Solar winds are energy. That makes sense.

 

[daveman]

uberfail. no way!

He's thinking about the sun's energy moving as heat, which requires mass. But the sun's energy moves as just that - electromagnetic energy. Which moves through a vacuum and isn't converted to heat until it encounters mass.

Think we've all confused the poor OP sufficiently yet?

I wouldn't assume that.

Solar winds are energy. That makes sense.

Solar winds are charged particles.

 

[goldcatt]

uberfail. no way!

He's thinking about the sun's energy moving as heat, which requires mass. But the sun's energy moves as just that - electromagnetic energy. Which moves through a vacuum and isn't converted to heat until it encounters mass.

Think we've all confused the poor OP sufficiently yet?

I wouldn't assume that.

Solar winds are energy. That makes sense.

The solar wind isn't the same thing as the solar radiation (energy) that causes heat.

Solar radiation: Solar Radiation | Universe Today

Solar wind: NASA/Marshall Solar Physics

Here's the NASA "space weather center" site with links to all kinds of information on solar probes, solar wind collection, space weather forecasting and other cool stuff: NASA's Cosmicopia -- Sun -- Solar Wind

Which has nothing to do with the OP but I get a kick out of it.

 

[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.

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.

It certainly moves faster.

 

[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.

Do you realize that you are stating that electromagnetic radiation cannot traverse a vacuum?

You really need to take a basic physics course, for you obviously have no knowledge of phyics.

Electromagnetic radiation is made up of a magnetic and an electric wave traveling together at right angles. That is why a single photon can go through two slits in a piece of cardboard. Becuase of its dual nature it is never in a vacuum.

Regardless, the vacuum of space has temperature.

 

[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.

uberfail. no way!

He's thinking about the sun's energy moving as heat, which requires mass. But the sun's energy moves as just that - electromagnetic energy. Which moves through a vacuum and isn't converted to heat until it encounters mass.

Think we've all confused the poor OP sufficiently yet?

It also travels as heat, which is why Skylab needed a sun shield when part of its primary cooling system failed.

 

[goldcatt]

uberfail. no way!

He's thinking about the sun's energy moving as heat, which requires mass. But the sun's energy moves as just that - electromagnetic energy. Which moves through a vacuum and isn't converted to heat until it encounters mass.

Think we've all confused the poor OP sufficiently yet?

It also travels as heat, which is why Skylab needed a sun shield when part of its primary cooling system failed.

Heat comes from electromagnetic waves, but the waves themselves aren't heat.

Heat certainly exists in interplanetary space because it is not a total vacuum, there is "some" matter to convert energy to heat and radiate it into its immediate environment. But energy changes into heat upon being absorbed and re-emitted by matter - matter that is so widely dispersed in space it is not efficient for heating the volume and certainly not favorable for transferring solar heat a full AU.

(AU = the mean distance between Sun and Earth, called an Astronomical Unit, for those following along)

 

[Old Rocks]

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.

Do you realize that you are stating that electromagnetic radiation cannot traverse a vacuum?

You really need to take a basic physics course, for you obviously have no knowledge of phyics.

Electromagnetic radiation is made up of a magnetic and an electric wave traveling together at right angles. That is why a single photon can go through two slits in a piece of cardboard. Becuase of its dual nature it is never in a vacuum.

Regardless, the vacuum of space has temperature.

Now that is about the funniest explanation of quantum mechanics that I have ever encountered.