This picture shows a radiometer. It is designed to be placed in a sunny window. One side of each thin blade of the radiometer is painted black, and the other side is painted white. The Sun’s rays strike the blades, and the device begins to spin. What energy transformation is taking place in this scenario?

This picture shows a radiometer. It is designed to be placed in a sunny window. One side of each thin blade of the radiometer is painted black, and the other side is painted white. The Sun’s rays strike the blades, and the device begins to spin. What energy transformation is taking place in this scenario?

radiometer.png

radiant to electrical

electrical to mechanical

radiant to mechanical

mechanical to radiant

The energy transformation taking place in this scenario is radiant to mechanical.