Does anybody have any info on thermal energy/solar energy, and how it realates to seasons?
454180
The earth rotates on an axis. In the summer, your hemisphere is tilted towards the sun. This results in longer days, and the sunlight hitting the earth more straight on.\n\nIn the winter, your hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. This results in shorter days, and the light hits the earth at a greater angle. More light is reflected off the atmosphere and off the earth itself, which contributes to less heat absorbed. Also, the same area of sunlight is spread over a greater area (like shining a torch sideways along the ground), this reduced density of sunlight on the earth also means less heat is absorbed.\n\nThe seasons are more distinct further from the equator where the tilt has more of an effect. On the equator, there are actually 2 longest and 2 shortest days each year and less distinct seasons, as when the earth is on either side of the sun (during autumn/spring seasons) the sun is directly above the equator, no matter which side of the sun the earth is on.
39424
heat is the measurement of thermal energy
9993
The major applications of solar thermal energy at present are heating swimming pools, heating water for domestic use, and space heating of buildings. For these purposes, the general practice is to use flat-plate solar energy or evacuated tube collectors with a fixed orientation (position).\n\nThe highest efficiency with a fixed flat-plate collector or evacuated tube collector is obtained if it faces toward the equator and slopes at an angle to the horizon equal to the latitude plus about 10 degrees. Solar collectors fall into two general categories: nonconcentrating and concentrating.\n\nIn the nonconcentrating type, the collector area (i.e. the area that intercepts the solar radiation) is the same as the absorber area (i.e., the area absorbing the radiation).
238369
These sites have some information on this topic.  The NOAA sites might also have some information.  Sorry I couldn't find better sources.
815466
u can visit www.solarsystem.nasa.gov
783751
No need to worry. Solar Energy is your main topic and underneath that find 3 points(subheading) about solar energy and explain those points. Go from general topic to the specific. If u need help let me know. Klm4k8@umkc.edu
96708
The one that I would be most interested in using is geothermal energy. There are some really exciting new applications of geothermal energy for use in heating and cooling homes that essentially involve putting a heat pump deep enough underground that it reaches the soil zone where the temperature is constant year round. This results in having a source of heat in winter and a heat sink for cooling in summer. Every house should have one!!!\n\nSadly the new energy plan proposed by the administration cut geothermal energy research to ZERO.
44841
A good place to start will be to look at the following websites \n\nThermal Energy and States of Matter\nhttp://www.pschweigerphysics.com/thermenergy.html\n\nThermal Energy\nhttp://sol.sci.uop.edu/~jfalward/physics17/chapter6/chapter6.html\n\nThermodynamics and Thermal Physics guides\nhttp://physics.about.com/cs/thermodynamics/\n\nIf your doing a project you might look into "Ocean Thermal energy conservation" as a topic.\n\nOcean Thermal energy conservation is used to generate electricity using the temperature difference of seawater at different depths
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Solar Power:\n\nEnergy from the sun's radiation converted into heat or electricity.\n\nwww.wisconsinpublicservice.com/farm/terms.asp\n\n1) Solar Energy:\n\nElectricity produced from the sun’s radiation.\n\nwww.fplsafetyworld.com/glossary/\n\n2) Solar Energy:\n\nenergy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy; "the amount of energy falling on the earth is given by the solar constant, but very little use has been made of solar energy"\n\n\nhttp://www.thefreedictionary.com/solar+energy
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Start with the Georgia State Climate office. \nhttp://climate.engr.uga.edu/\nThis office has all kinds of links that goes way beyond the "weather"\nI have worked with both Stokesbury and Knox, they are top flight people and will help you in anyway they can. The TV weather people don't do that.
456924
http://www.bigginhill.co.uk/solar.htm\n\nhttp://www.jc-solarhomes.com/how_to.htm\n\nhttp://www.jc-solarhomes.com/solar_heating.htm\n\nhttp://www.solar-components.com/SOLARKAL.HTM\n\nhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/top_articles/1984_January_February/Build_an_Integral_Passive_Solar_Water_Heater\n\n\nGood Luck!
575202
heat is a form of energy.
536359
Amen to that question. It is so damn hot down here in the south right now it is going to be unbearable when summer does officially get here. I do wish we had a machine that we could adjust and set it to where it was perfect weather all year long. If you ever here of anyone inventing it, PLEASE let me know!!!!
470132
Solar energy ( using solar panels or something ) is the ultimate alternate energy source, because the energy in living things comes from the sun.  The energy in petroleum, which comes from dead plants, comes from the sun.  And the energy from hydroelectric dams comes from the sun, because the sun evaporates the water so it can rain down on the mountains and fill up the reservoir behind the dam.  Why not just go directly to the source--the sun.\n\nAs for simulating day and night, you must do this!  The human body schedules itself to sleep about every 24 or 25 hours.  Going against this schedule or against the schedule of light and dark periods can cause difficulty sleeping, difficulty staying awake, and possibly psychological problems.\n\nI don't really know what kind of colony you are referring to, so I can't really answer the other questions.  Is it a computer simulation, like Sim City, or a science-fiction colony on the planet Mars, or just a wilderness survival plan?
64722
A radiometer does what you describe. \n\nhttp://store.sundancesolar.com/solrad.html\n\n\nDirections to build a simple radiometer:\n\nMake a radiometer to measure solar energy. Colour the paper side of a gum wrapper black and cut in four pieces. Stick the pieces to each side of a match stick with the shiny sides all facing the same way. Wrap a thread around a pencil and attach to the match stick. Suspend in the jar and place in a sunny location. The radiometer will turn as it absorbs energy.
772410
electrical energy-------> heat + light\ndoes that help?
400871
A thermal power plant uses heat.  I don't know what a 'themal" power plant is.  If you can't operate a spell-checker, I doubt you have the gray matter to expend on thermo-dynamics.