Thermal Energy and Heat Transfer

These flashcards cover key concepts related to thermal energy, heat transfer, and specific heat measurements.

Energy

The ability to cause change; equivalent to the ability to do work.

Thermal Energy

The sum of the kinetic and potential energy of all the particles that make up an object.

Heat

Energy that is transferred between objects due to a temperature difference.

Specific Heat

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a material by 1°C, measured in joules per kg per degree Celsius (J/(kg·°C)).

Specific Heat of Water

4200 J/(kg·°C), which is the highest specific heat among common substances.

Specific Heat of Wood

1700 J/(kg·°C).

Specific Heat of Sand

830 J/(kg·°C).

Specific Heat of Carbon (Graphite)

710 J/(kg·°C).

Specific Heat of Iron

450 J/(kg·°C).

Molecular Attraction in Water

When thermal energy is added to water, some of the energy must overcome the attraction between the molecules before they start moving faster.

Electron Movement in Metals

In metals, electrons can move freely, so when thermal energy is added, they can start moving faster without strong attractions needing to be overcome.