Now You See It... No You Didn't!

Today, I was grilling the old fashioned way--using Kingsford Charcoal. 25 charcoal briskets, 1/2 cup lighter fluid (Butane: C4H10), a wand lighter, and 30 minutes of patience was all I needed to have my hamburgers cooking. While the grill was heating, I saw squiggly lines of air rise out the grill. Uh...professor...I know, I know...THAT is radiant heat, I see it, I see it. Nice try kid, but unless you're from the planet Krypton, your human eyes aren't capable of detecting radiant heat. Radiant heat is electomagnetic energy that travels outside of the visible spectrum. What you saw is a mirage caused by the differential in air density which causes a differential in the refractive index of two air spaces.

So if you're frustrated that you can't see radiant heat, don't despair. Change into your Superman Underroos, unroll a piece of aluminum foil and place your face near the sheet. Can you feel the heat from your face? THIS is Radiant Heat. Congratulations, now you're the man of steel! Well, maybe just aluminum.