Thermal Energy, Temperature and Heat

temperature

average kinetic energy of the particles of a substance.

heat

The flow of thermal energy from an area of higher temperature to an area of lower temperature

thermal energy

total kinetic and potential energy of particles that make up a material

radiation

transfer of thermal energy as electromagnetic waves

conduction

transfer of thermal energy through direct contact

convection

transfer of thermal energy due to movement particles within a fluid

thermal equilibrium

When substances of different temperatures finally come to the same temperature

thermometer

measures temperature

Celsius

a temperature scale used by scientists (and most of the world!)

Kelvin

water freezes at 273 and boils at 373 on this scale

conductor

material that allows thermal energy to flow easily

insulator

material that doesn't allow thermal energy to flow easily

thermal expansion

increase in volume due to an increase in total energy of the particles

examples of good conductors

silver, gold, copper

examples of good insulators

air, paper, wood

0 degrees

SI temperature at which water freezes

37 degrees

equivalent to average human body temperature

212 degrees

F scale temperature of boiling water

absolute zero

0 Kelvin

joule

SI unit for thermal energy measurement

vaporization

all changes from liquid to gas

boiling

vaporization throughout the entire liquid

evaporation

vaporization from the surface only

condensation

change from gas to liquid

melting

change from solid to liquid

freezing

change from liquid to solid

sublimation

change from solid to gas

deposition

change from gas to solid

direction of heat

always from warmer to colder

heat engine

any device that transforms thermal energy to mechanical energy

Celsius

SI unit for temperature

Kelvin

temperature scale used by physicists

Fahrenheit

temperature scale used by US