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Barclay
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Homework Statement
Space shuttle enters the atmosphere.
(i) What happens to the transferred energy?
(ii) how do the high temperatures generated in the shuttle enters the Earth atmosphere relate to the material used for the underside of the shuttle surface? Why is the underside not made from aluminium or iron?
Homework Equations
Work and power chapter in the book.
The Attempt at a Solution
(i) THIS IS MY ANSWER : The energy is created by friction from the surrounding gases in the atmosphere. Energy is also transferred to same gases in the atmosphere. Some energy is absorbed by the tiling on the on the under-surface of the shuttle.
BOOK ANSWER:Series of the manoeuvres used before landing to get rid of excess energy.
The book answer makes no sense to me.
(ii)
The tiling under the shuttle will be matte black and a poor conductor of thermal energy.
A black surface emits thermal (infrared) radiation well so the heat will be transferred to the atmosphere. A black body also absorbs radiation but because it is a poor conductor it should emit more than it absorbs thereby keeping the shuttle cool.
A steel or iron under-surface is not used because metallic structures will conduct thermal (infrared) radiation and become very hot and may melt. Metallic structure will not emit radiation.
MY OWN QUERY: I'm confused why metallic structures do not emit heat radiation when they can absorb it (and get hot). Isn't the heat behaving like electricity i.e. electricity is conducted through metal easily and if someone touches the metal they absorb the electricity that has been emitted (and they get a shock). I know I'm wrong somewhere in this statement but can't see quite where so I would be grateful if someone could clarify what I should be thinking. Thank you
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