How can i turn Heat into energy?How much heat would it take for me to light a light buld and what would i need

Question

I want to take heat Solar, Candle, water, heat and light a lightbuld with it what would i need to make this happen?

Answer 1

Heat per se is a degenerate form of energy and can't be used to do anything. If however you've got a heat *flux*, between a hot source and a cold source, you can convert it to another form of energy with an engine, the Seebeck effect, or whatever.

Answer 2

An engine. You could use a steam engine, for example, to run a generator to power the light bulb. Steam is still the most common means of converting heat into mechanincal energy and, in turn, into electrical energy.

Answer 3

A thermocouple converts heat into electricity, but you could never get enough current to light a household bulb.