Ahh, summer, a time of vacations at the beach or mountains — and sky-high electricity bills as your air conditioner labors against the heat and humidity.
But what is the optimal temperature to set your air conditioner at?
And how does your body adapt to heat?
Northeastern University’s Stefan Kautsch, a teaching professor in physics, explains heat transfer and how the concepts he discusses in the classroom can also help humans survive sweltering temperatures.
This interview with Northeastern Global News has been condensed and edited.
Tell me how concepts of physics apply to air conditioners?
Heat (a form of energy) flows naturally from warm to cold. An air conditioner is that principle but reversed: Heat is moved from a cold area (inside) to a high-temperature area (outside).
But there are a few problems with this in a warming world.
Work is required to do this — meaning we need electricity to make that work and power the compressors.
But the more air conditioning we use, the more energy we need to use, and more energy means more power plants and — unfortunately — renewable energy is not that common here in the United States.
So the more we contribute to climate change at the same time we try to protect ourselves from global warming.
Read more at Northeastern Global News.
Photo: Getty Images
