3 ms·
I didn't go to University, and wasn't much for science in high-school, but (using your figures) sunlight is 1000watts/m^2/second (or millisecond or minute), isn
by hugh3 16y ago
I didn't go to University, and wasn't much for science in high-school, but (using your figures) sunlight is 1000watts/m^2/second (or millisecond or minute), isn't it?
No, sunlight is 1000 watts / m^2, or 1000 joules per square metre per second. The Watt is a unit of power (ie energy over time).
- jws 16y agoAs a footnote, there is a pitfall here in the English language. The word "over" might mean divided by, or it might mean "integrated across", which are, in the case of constant power completely opposite meanings. power is energy ÷ time (assuming the power is constant, and thinking of horizontal lines for fractions you might say "power is energy over time") energy is power × time (assuming the power is constant, but if you are thinking "integration" you might say "energy is power over time") The language can hurt the understanding.