What Are Heat Waves?
Heat waves are invisible waves that carry heat. You can’t see them, but you can feel them when you stand near something warm, like the Sun or a heater.
They are not the same as hot air or touching something warm.
They are a kind of light that your eyes can’t see, but your skin can feel.
What Makes Heat Waves?
Anything that is warm gives off heat waves—even things that feel cold!
The hotter something is, the more heat waves it gives out.
Some examples:
The Sun
Fire or a stove
People and animals
Engines and machines
Even ice gives off a little bit of heat.
How Do They Travel?
Heat waves can move through air, solid things, or even space (where there’s no air at all).
They don’t need to touch anything or be pushed to move.
This is how the Sun sends heat to Earth.
They move like invisible light rays carrying warmth.
What Happens When They Hit Something?
When heat waves reach something, they can:
Warm it up (absorbed)
Bounce off it (reflected)
Go through it (transmitted)
Shiny things like gold can reflect heat away. That’s why gold is used on spacecraft, to keep them cool.
Can We See Heat Waves?
No, we can’t see them with our eyes. But special cameras called thermal cameras can.
Hot things show up as red, orange, or white
Cold things show up as blue or purple
These cameras are used by firefighters, scientists, and in night vision.
Why Are Heat Waves Important?
Heat waves help move heat when touching or blowing air isn’t possible—like in space.
They are used to:
Protect spacecraft from getting too hot
See in the dark
Find heat leaks in homes and machines
Keep people and animals warm
Quick Facts
Heat waves = invisible heat energy
You can feel them but can’t see them
They move through air, things, and space
Made by anything warm, even cold things
Special cameras can show them in color
