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Insolation vs Irradiation - What's the difference?

insolation | irradiation |

As nouns the difference between insolation and irradiation

is that insolation is the incident radiant energy emitted by the sun which reaches a unit area over a period of time, typically measured over a horizontal area at the earth's surface or at the top of earth's atmosphere while irradiation is an act of irradiating, or state of being irradiated.

insolation

English

Noun

(en-noun)
  • The incident radiant energy emitted by the sun which reaches a unit area over a period of time, typically measured over a horizontal area at the Earth's surface or at the top of Earth's atmosphere.
  • The rate of delivery of such radiation.
  • The act or process of exposing to the rays of the sun, such as for the purpose of medical treatment, drying or maturing, as fruits, drugs, etc., or of rendering acid, as vinegar.
  • (medicine, dated) sunstroke.
  • Synonyms

    * (exposure as medical treatment) sunbath

    See also

    * ("insolation" on Wikipedia) ----

    irradiation

    English

    Noun

  • An act of irradiating, or state of being irradiated.
  • (obsolete) illumination; irradiance; brilliance.
  • (obsolete) figurative: mental light or illumination.
  • (obsolete) the apparent enlargement of a bright object seen upon a dark ground, due to the fact that the portions of the retina around the image are stimulated by the intense light; as when a dark spot on a white ground appears smaller, or a white spot on a dark ground larger, than it really is, especially when a little out of focus.
  • (uncountable) a process of sterilisation whereby radiation is passed through a bag containing food, utensils, etc., to sterilise the contents.
  • Derived terms

    * photoirradiation