Flashcards: Conduction, Convection & Radiation

Flashcards covering key concepts of thermal energy transfer including conduction, convection, infrared radiation, and properties of materials.

Conduction

The transfer of thermal energy in solids and liquids through the vibration of particles.

Thermal Insulators

Materials, typically non-metals, that are poor conductors of heat.

Good Conductors

Materials, usually metals, that allow the free movement of electrons to transfer heat.

Convection

The transfer of thermal energy in fluids (liquids and gases) through the movement of molecules.

Density and Convection

As a fluid is heated, it expands, becomes less dense, and rises, while denser cold fluid falls.

Infrared Radiation

A method of energy transfer that does not require a medium, part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Black Bodies

Objects that are the best absorbers and emitters of infrared radiation.

White Bodies

Objects that are the best reflectors of infrared radiation.

Energy Transfer Reduction

Methods such as using shiny surfaces or thermal insulators to reduce unwanted energy transfer.

Heat

The transfer of thermal energy from a hotter body to a colder body due to a temperature difference.

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles within a substance.

Heat Transfer in a Vacuum

Only radiation can transfer heat through a vacuum because it consists of electromagnetic waves and does not require a medium.

Factors Affecting Infrared Radiation

The rate of infrared radiation emission and absorption depends on the surface area, temperature, and the color and texture of the surface.