Question map
Consider the two statements given below : Statement-1 : Infrared waves are also called heat waves. Statement-2 : Water molecules readily absorb infrared waves. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: Infrared waves are often referred to as heat waves because they are produced by hot bodies and molecules. When these waves strike any object, they increase the internal energy and, consequently, the temperature of that object.
Statement 2 is correct: Water molecules (along with molecules of CO2 and NH3) readily absorb infrared waves. This occurs because the frequencies of infrared radiation match the natural vibrational and rotational frequencies of these molecules, leading to resonance.
Connection: Statement 2 correctly explains Statement 1 because the efficient absorption of infrared radiation by water molecules in most materials (including human skin) increases the thermal motion of those molecules. This conversion of electromagnetic energy into thermal energy is the physical mechanism that causes the heating effect, justifying why infrared waves are characterized as heat waves.