What is the term given to heat and light radiated from the sun?

The heat and light radiated from the Sun are called solar energy.

Solar energy is the radiant energy produced by the Sun and carried through space as electromagnetic radiation. Visible light is only one part of this radiation; sunlight also includes infrared radiation, which is strongly associated with heating, as well as ultraviolet radiation and other wavelengths. When the radiation reaches Earth, surfaces absorb some of it and convert it into thermal energy.

The Sun’s energy originates in its core, where nuclear fusion combines hydrogen nuclei to form helium. This process releases enormous amounts of energy, which eventually reaches the Sun’s surface and radiates outward. Sunlight takes a little over eight minutes to travel from the Sun to Earth.

Solar energy can be used in several ways. Photovoltaic cells convert light into electricity, while solar-thermal systems capture radiation as heat for hot water, buildings, or power generation. A common mix-up is treating solar energy and solar power as identical: solar energy is the broader resource, while solar power usually refers to electricity generated from it. The more technical term for the Sun’s emitted electromagnetic radiation is solar radiation.