What is IR?
IR or infrared is an electromagnetic radiation, one of radiations of light. This radiation has the longest wavelength in comparison with other visible light waves and less in comparison with radio waves, starting from the red edge of visible light up to 1mm. Due to the fact that infrared has the longest wavelength it contains the most thermal energy. Approximately more than half of the thermal energy from sun is received in form of infrared radiations, therefore the balance in emitted and absorbed radiations has great role in earth’s climate.
What is UV?
UV or Ultraviolet is also one of the electromagnetic radiations of sun. It has a shorter wavelength in comparison with visible light which is between 400nm and 10 nm. This radiation is invisible reactions or can cause many substances glow. The amount of the UV reaching on the surface of the earth is considered to be none-ionizing due to the fact that the higher wavelengths from about 10 nm to 120 nm which are extremely ionizing are absorbed by nitrogen and dioxygen.
Usage of Infrared:
Infrared has a vast usage in different fields and devices. It is used in night vision equipments which give us the ability to see when there is not sufficient light.
It also can be used for heating. Different types of heaters for different purposes have been designed and produced. They are used in medicine, it is proved that IR usage has benefits in treatment of patients with high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis and congestive heart failure.
Infrared is also used in communication, tracking systems, astronomy, climatology, art history, meteorology, spectroscopy and several other fields.
Usage of Ultraviolet:
Ultraviolet is also used vastly in different fields of science and technology. It is used for disinfecting drinking water, food processing, microbial sterilization and air purification. These are biological related usages. It is also used in production of chemical markers and paints. It has other usages in astronomy, imaging and etc.
Conclusion:
Ultraviolet radiation has higher frequency waves, higher energy, which is above the visible spectrum. Infrared radiation has low frequency and relatively low energy, which is below the visible range. IR affects things macroscopically, heating the whole object, while UV affects microscopically, affecting molecules and atoms individually.
Work Cited:
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