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Sources of Thermal Energy
Solar Energy
Solar energy is energy from the sun. We can use solar energy to dry off a wet t-shirt on a hot summers day or we can even use it to produce electricity.
Passive solar heating
Passive solar heating used the materials something is made out of to absorb, store, and release solar energy. For example, the picture above depicts a design used to maximize passive solar heating. The windows would face south to capture as much heat as possible during the day but not too much during the summer. The materials i the floors and walls would be good insulators to keep the heat inside and even re-release some thermal energy at night back into the house.
Active solar heating
Active solar heating uses mechanical systems to move and store the solar energy. Devices such as solar collectors are used on the roof or south facing exterior walls of buildings. These devides are usually metal and become hot, which heats up water sunning through them. The thermal energy in the water is then used to heat the building.
Renewable or non-renewable? hint: the sun is going to burn for billions of years.
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