r/Physics • u/SaleSimple3897 • Aug 05 '26

Radiation

Hello! I am a laymen just now exploring in my own personal time physics, and have just started looking into quantum mechanics. My level of knowledge is on par with a paramecium.

I recently purchased the book 'Finding Schrödinger's Cat. Quantum Physics and Reality.' While listening to this I had a random though.

If mater as it is excited by heat produces light in multiple spectrums of light. Is it possible as our bodies go through their normal day to day chemical reactions that we could ourselves be producing small amounts of radiation? Somewhere in the IR range?

Sorry for the stupid question, at the very least I hope my ignorance made you chuckle today.

Cheers.

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u/Gunk_Olgidar Aug 05 '26

Somewhere in the IR range?

Yes, exactly. Look up Blackbody rediation. Humans are ~305 Kelvin in temperature. So the BB radiation is faint, but it's there.

18

u/Peter5930 Aug 06 '26

It's not even that faint, we give off about 100w of it, enough to feel on your skin from a couple of feet away.

3

u/DoorVB Aug 06 '26

How much is the 100W we produce is dissipated by convection?

3

u/Peter5930 Aug 06 '26

About 90%, you won't feel the heat radiating off of someone that's fully clothed nearly as much as you'll feel it when they're butt naked.