With our current reliance on fossile fuels and other forms of stored energy (coal, chemical) we are releasing excess waste heat (among other things) into the atmosphere. Looking for alternative 'green' energy sources is a great ideal, but my feel this could further impact the environment.
Assuming for argument that we can build a large mirror array in space and send captured solar energy safely to earth. That amounts to a new input of energy into our (closed?) system. How will we deal with the excess heat generated as a by product of doing work with that energy? Is there a way for us to efficiently radiate that heat into space?
2007-12-18 06:34:18 · 7 answers · asked by Web Wonder 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
ha ha i thought about that, 'why not build giant solar panels in space to block off the sun, since our polar ice cap just isn't cutting it anymore'. we dont have the technology simply put.
theres probably a huge matter of safety in transfering the energy if it was possible.
we need to focus getting heat from the sun away from our planet as it is. worrying about substituting energy wont help us at this point.
2007-12-18 06:40:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you had ever been to a desert, you would know how efficiently the planet radiates heat away: temperatures drop 30 degrees Celsius over night due to nothing else but radiation.
The only reason this does not happen nearly as fast over non-arid land areas is the water vapor in the air which creates a significant greenhouse effect. Take it away, e.g. in winter, and the nights are getting cold VERY rapidly.
In other words: your question starts with the wrong assumption. There is not much too it otherwise. And we do not need space mirrors. We are getting plenty of solar radiation the natural way.
2007-12-18 06:43:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Our system is not closed. We get heat from the sun every day. The night side of the planet loses heat as well. There are inputs from outside the system.
2007-12-18 06:37:03 · answer #3 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe that the earth does vent excess heat.Have you ever noticed how much colder it gets on those starry winter nights?That is what is called convection because there are no clouds to hold the heat in our atmosphere.
2007-12-18 08:32:25 · answer #4 · answered by duh1 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think that the earth is virtually closed to mass transfer
and its an open system to heat transfer and i dont know about
momentum transfer whether it is or not
maybe we will get lucky with nanotechnology and engineer a gas that can reflect sunlight back into space
2007-12-18 07:05:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A closed system is when no outside energy from another source is being used. We receive light from the sun and in-return our planet turns it into heat.
Another thing Global Warming is a hoax
2007-12-18 06:42:15 · answer #6 · answered by King Arthur 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
it goes up up and away. the earth is not a closed system.
2007-12-18 06:38:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋