Why is it so dangerous to leave a child or an animal in a locked car with the window closed in bright sunlight?
Group of answer choices
The air in a car with closed windows will soon run out of oxgyen and asphyxiate the living things inside
The car can absorb and hold enough radiant heat energy from the sun to make its temperatures high enough to be dangerous.
The car becomes dangerously cold as it transfers heat energy to the air by radiation.
The car's temperature remains equal to the air temperature outside due to a state of equilibrium that could be dangerous.
The car can absorb and hold enough radiant heat energy from the sun to make its temperatures high enough to be dangerous.
The correct answer is:
The car can absorb and hold enough radiant heat energy from the sun to make its temperatures high enough to be dangerous.
The correct answer is: The car can absorb and hold enough radiant heat energy from the sun to make its temperatures high enough to be dangerous.
Leaving a child or an animal in a locked car with the windows closed in bright sunlight can be extremely dangerous because the car acts like a greenhouse. Sunlight passes through the windshield and windows, but it is then absorbed by the interior of the car, such as the seats, dashboard, and steering wheel. These components of the car then emit infrared radiation, which is trapped inside the car due to the closed windows. This trapped heat causes the temperature inside the car to rise rapidly, creating a dangerous environment for anyone inside.
To understand this, one can think of the greenhouse effect where sunlight passes through the glass of a greenhouse, but the heat gets trapped inside. A locked car in bright sunlight works similarly, allowing sunlight to enter but preventing heat from escaping, causing the interior to heat up quickly.
The rising temperature inside the car can lead to heatstroke, dehydration, and even death in a short period of time, especially for children and animals who are more vulnerable to heat.
It is important to never leave a child or an animal unattended in a locked car, even for a few minutes, especially in hot weather conditions. If you see a child or an animal locked inside a car, it is crucial to take immediate action by contacting emergency services and attempting to locate the car owner.