Infrared explained to kids

Infrared radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is invisible to the human eye. It is used in a variety of applications, including in medical diagnosis and treatment, communications, manufacturing, and astronomy. Infrared radiation has a longer wavelength than visible light, and it is able to penetrate fog, smoke, and other obscuring materials that visible light cannot. This makes it useful for seeing things that are otherwise hidden from view. Infrared radiation is also used to identify the chemical composition of objects, since different materials absorb and reflect infrared radiation in different ways. Thermal imaging cameras are one type of infrared imaging technology. These cameras detect infrared radiation emitted by objects and convert it into an image that can be seen by the human eye. Thermal imaging is used in a variety of applications, including in medicine, law enforcement, and the military. Infrared radiation is also used in communications. Infrared lasers are used in fiber optic communications systems to transmit data at high speeds over long distances. Infrared LEDs are used in remote controls for a variety of devices, including televisions, DVD players, and garage door openers. In manufacturing, infrared radiation is used for a variety of purposes, including curing of paints and adhesives, drying of inks and coatings, and welding of plastics. Astronomers use infrared telescopes to study objects in space that are too cold or too dusty to be seen in visible light. The Spitzer Space Telescope, for example, is an infrared telescope that has been used to study everything from the formation of stars and planets to the formation of galaxies.