Infrared imaging is primarily used to sense what kind of energy?

Infrared imaging is primarily utilized to detect and visualize heat energy. This is because infrared radiation is emitted by objects as a function of their temperature; warmer objects emit more infrared radiation compared to cooler ones. Infrared cameras and sensors capture this radiation, translating the varying amounts of emitted heat into images, allowing us to observe temperature differences in objects and environments.

For instance, in remote sensing applications, infrared imaging is often used in meteorology to monitor weather patterns, detect heat leaks in buildings, or assess thermal conditions of the land, vegetation, and water bodies. This capability makes infrared imaging invaluable in a variety of fields such as environmental monitoring, agriculture, and search and rescue operations. Heat energy detection is distinct from other forms of energy, such as light energy, which is detected in the visible spectrum, sound energy, which is related to pressure waves, and kinetic energy, which involves the motion of objects.