Temperature and Heat Flashcards

Conduction: Transfer of thermal energy due to direct contact between substances or parts of a substance.
Conductor: Materials like aluminum and copper that facilitate efficient thermal or electrical energy transfer.
Insulator: Substances such as wood or glass that inhibit thermal energy or electrical flow.
Heat: Movement of thermal energy from areas of higher temperature to those of lower temperature.
Thermal Energy: Total kinetic energy of particles making up a substance or energy associated with moving objects.

Thermometer: A device, typically containing colored alcohol, used to measure thermal energy via temperature changes.
Measurements: The body of a thermometer features a thin glass tube and a calibrated scale indicating temperature in degrees.
Functionality: When placed in a substance, if that substance has greater thermal energy than the thermometer, the temperature reading increases due to energy conduction.

Specific Heat Capacity: The amount of energy needed to change the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius; water has a high specific heat (4.18 J/g°C) compared to concrete (0.88 J/g°C).
Thermal energy movement: Transitions from warmer to cooler regions, as seen when ice cubes absorb heat from warmer water.

Fahrenheit: Temperature scale commonly used in the United States with a freezing point of 32°F and boiling point of 212°F.
Celsius: A scientific temperature scale with water freezing at 0°C and boiling at 100°C.

Convection: Thermal energy transfer through the movement of liquid or gas, causing circulation within the medium.
Radiation: Transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves, does not require matter; experienced as heat from the sun.

Temperature: Reflects the average kinetic energy of particles within a substance; indicative of thermal energy.
Thermal Energy: The sum of kinetic energy of particles; larger volumes (like a pool) contain greater thermal energy than smaller samples (like a glass).

Sunburn Mechanism: Excessive absorption of UV light can lead to skin damage, demonstrating the effects of radiation.
Thermal Equilibrium: No thermal energy movement occurs when two objects are at the same temperature.
Kinetic Energy: Related to the movement of particles; higher movement results in higher thermal energy and temperature.

Distinctions must be made between heat (energy transfer), temperature (measure of thermal energy), and thermal energy itself (kinetic energy of particles).