What does radiant energy refer to?

Radiant energy refers specifically to the energy carried by electromagnetic waves. This form of energy is associated with the propagation of electromagnetic radiation, which includes visible light, radio waves, X-rays, and more. Electromagnetic waves travel through space and carry energy, which can be absorbed and converted into other forms of energy, such as heat or chemical energy.

Understanding radiant energy is crucial in various fields such as physics, biology, and medicine, as it plays a significant role in processes like photosynthesis in plants and the functioning of various diagnostic imaging techniques in medical laboratories. The other options describe different forms of energy: energy stored in chemical bonds refers to chemical potential energy, potential energy is the energy held by an object due to its position, and energy required to change state relates to latent heat or thermodynamic processes. None of these accurately depict the concept of energy carried by electromagnetic waves, which is the essence of radiant energy.