Cold Temperatures
When discussing cold temperatures, many people think of the snow and winter that bring frigid temperatures to our lives. Cold temperatures can often erect a barrier between us and the outside world, making us uncomfortable and impacting our daily lives. Cold temperatures, however, are not only the snow and brutal winter winds, they can also be found naturally, deep inside the earth, underwater and deep within the stars.
Deep in the Earth, temperatures can reach well below freezing, far cooler than any winter storm. Geothermal energy is energy generated by the Earths heat and is used as an energy source. In some areas, large rocks are heated naturally by the Earths heat and is used to supply hot water and steam. In other areas, natural hot springs are a result of underground heat and water. This can be used to make geothermal electricity by running the water over steam turbines.
Underwater, temperatures are kept much cooler than the ocean surface. This is because the water has a lower capacity for heat and pressure than the air. Because of this, the water can absorb more of the suns heat and keep the depths much cooler than the surf. The ocean holds about nearly 1.4 miles of heat, making the bottom even cooler than the average winter.
In outer space temperatures reach far beyond what we experience in our daily lives. The stars are incredibly hot at their core, but they are still much colder than their surface temperatures. This is because the stars are made of mostly hydrogen and helium, which have a relatively low boiling point. As a star burns, the matter at its core is heated to the point where it radiates energy and light that cools the outer layers of the star. This is why their core temperatures are far larger than their surface temperatures.
Cold temperatures reach far beyond what we experience in our daily lives. Deep in the Earth and underwater, temperatures drop far below any winter frost. In outer space, stars generate immense heat at their core, but are kept cool by the outer surface. Cold temperatures are not only the snow and frost, but a part of our environment with varying degrees of temperature.