Where do electromagnetic waves tranfer energy?

Answer 1

From one place to another.

From the source of the radiation to whatever ultimately absorbs it.

Example: Using your flashlight to see a rock on the ground at night.

-- The energy begins as chemical energy inside the batteries in the flashlight.

-- You switch the flashlight on. Electric current flows through the light bulb or LEDs.

Most of the energy in the current changes to light energy and heat energy.

The light energy pours out of the front of the flashlight.

-- All of the air that the light passes through absorbs some of its energy.

-- A lot of the light misses the rock, and hits the ground. The ground absorbs most

of the energy in the light that hits it. Not much of the light energy that hits the

ground bounces off of it. That's why the ground looks dark to you.

-- Some of the light goes straight to the rock and hits it. The rock absorbs most of

the energy in the light that hits it. Not much of the light energy that hits the rock

bounces off of it. That's why the rock looks dark to you.

-- Any light energy that hits the ground or the rock, bounces off of them, and hits your shirt,

is absorbed by your shirt.

-- Any light energy that hits the ground or the rock, bounces off of them, and

happens to go through the dark circle in the middle of your eye, is absorbed in

the cells on the back surface of your eye. That energy generates a little bit of

chemical action, which generates a little bit of electric current, which flows through

the optic nerve, to your brain, whereupon your brain generates the message "Hey!

There's a rock right there, on the ground!"