HEAT

This video is all about:

 Definition of heat
 Units of heat
 Ways of transferring heat
 Importance of heat
 Everyday example of heat
 Facts about heat
 Frequently asked questions about heat
 Formula to solve heat and;
 Heat Problems.

Most of us use the word ‘heat’ to mean something that feels warm, but science defines heat as the flow
of energy from a warm object to a cooler object. Actually, heat energy is all around us – in volcanoes, in
icebergs and in your body. All matter contains heat energy. Heat energy is the result of the movement of
tiny particles called atoms, molecules or ions in solids, liquids and gases. Heat energy can be transferred
from one object to another. The transfer or flow due to the difference in temperature between the two
objects is called heat. For example, an ice cube has heat energy and so does a glass of lemonade. If you
put the ice in the lemonade, the lemonade (which is warmer) will transfer some of its heat energy to the
ice. In other words, it will heat up the ice. Eventually, the ice will melt and the lemonade and water from
the ice will be the same temperature. This is known as reaching a state of thermal equilibrium. Another
definition of heat is defined as the flow of energy between two systems by means of kinetic energy. This
can take the form of transferring energy from a warm object to a cooler object. More simply put, heat
energy, also called thermal energy or simply heat, is transferred from one location to another by
particles bouncing into each other. All matter contains heat energy, and the more heat energy that is
present, the hotter an item or area will be.

Units of Heat. The SI unit for heat is a form of energy called the joule (J). Heat is frequently also
measured in the calorie (cal), which is defined as "the amount of heat required to raise the temperature
of one gram of water from 14.5 degrees Celsius to 15.5 degrees Celsius." Heat is also sometimes
measured in "British thermal units" or Btu.

There are three ways of transferring heat energy

All heat energy, including heat generated by fire, is transferred in different ways:

Number 1 is convection. Convection is a process by which heat is transferred by movement of a heated

fluid such as air or water. Convection transfers heat energy through gases and liquids. As air is heated,
the particles gain heat energy allowing them to move faster and further apart, carrying the heat energy
with them. Warm air is less dense than cold air and will rise. Cooler air moves in below to replace the air
that has risen. It heats up, rises, and is again replaced by cooler air, creating a circular flow called a
convection current. These currents circle and heat the room. Many homes are heated through the
convection process, which transfers heat energy through gases or liquids. In the home, as the air is
heated, the particles gain heat energy allowing them to move faster, warming the cooler particles. Since
hot air is less dense than cold air, it will rise. As the cooler air falls, it can be drawn into our heating
systems which will again allow the faster particles to heat up the air. This is considered a circular flow of
air and is called a convection current. These currents circle and heat our homes.

The second way of transferring heat is by the process of conduction. Conduction transfers energy in the
form of heat or electricity from one atom to another within an object by direct contact. Conduction
transfers heat energy in solids. The moving particles of a warm solid material can increase the heat
energy of the particles in a cooler solid material by transferring it directly from one particle to the next.
Since particles are closer together, solids conduct heat better than liquids or gases. We can see an
example of this can be seen when we cook on the stove. When we place the cool pan down on the hot
burner, heat energy is transferred from the burner to the pan, which in turn heats up.

And the last way of transferring heat is by the process of radiation. Radiation is energy that comes from
a source and travels through space at the speed of light. This energy has an electric field and a magnetic
field associated with it, and has wave-like properties. Radiation is a method of heat transfer that does
not require particles to carry the heat energy. Instead, heat is transferred in infrared waves (part of the
electromagnetic spectrum). Heat waves radiate out from hot objects in all directions, travelling at the
speed of light, until they hit another object. When this happens, the heat energy carried by the waves
can be either absorbed or reflected. Radiation is a process in which heat moves through places where
there are no molecules, and is actually a form of electromagnetic energy. Any item whose heat can be
felt without direct connection is radiating energy. You can see this in the heat of the sun, the feeling of
heat coming off a bonfire that's several feet away, and even in the fact that rooms full of people will
naturally being warmer than empty rooms because each person's body is radiating heat.

Fire illustrates the three different methods of heat transfer. For example, the firebox will heat up due to
convection. The air above the fire will be warm due to convection. You can warm your hands near to the
flames due to radiant heat transfer.

Let’s now go to facts about heat

• Heat happens when energy is burned or used. The hotter an object, the faster its molecules are
moving.

• Warm objects expand or become larger. Cold objects contract or become smaller.

• Heat transfers from one object to another until both objects are the same temperature. This is
called conduction.

• Some materials conduct – or transfer heat – better than others. Pots and pans are made of
aluminum, stainless steel, iron, or copper, which transfer heat well. Fabric doesn’t transfer heat
well, which is why blankets and coats are made from it. The heat stays in, keeping us warm.

• Heat can change the state of matter. Butter, chocolate, and ice change from solids to liquids
when they’re heated.

• Thermal energy and heat aren’t the same thing

- Sometimes these terms get used interchangeably, but they are in fact very different. Thermal
energy is stored or internal, whereas heat is the transfer of energy between two objects.

• Thermal energy and temperature aren’t the same either!

 - Similarly, thermal energy and temperature are different as well. They often get spoken about
as if they’re the same thing but thermal energy comes into play when you consider the number
of particles in a space. A cup of water and a gallon of water can be the same temperature, but a
gallon has much more thermal energy because of its relative volume.

 Ice cube isn’t cooling your drink, your drink is heating the ice cube

-This can be a tough one for people to wrap their heads around sometimes. We use ice cubes to
keep our drinks cold, but technically what’s happening is that heat from the drink is taken away
to warm the ice cube, causing it to melt and then lower the temperature of the drink.

 Water is one of the only things that expands when it freezes

- Have you ever noticed how if you freeze a water bottle that’s completely full, it will break
open? That’s because water is one of the only things that expands when it freezes – most others
shrink in cold temperatures. It’s an anomaly because of its molecular structure, joined by
elements like gallium, silicone, geranium, bismuth, and plutonium.

 Thermal energy was first discovered in 1847

- James Prescott Joule, after whom the unit of heat energy is named, was experimenting with
fluids and he found that when he agitated the fluid, its temperature increased. He and his team
then performed mechanical work on a float and in doing so converted that mechanical energy to
thermal energy!

Let’s now move on to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Heat

Does heat and temperature the same?

The distinction between heat and temperature is subtle but very important. Heat refers to the transfer
of energy between systems (or bodies), whereas temperature is determined by the energy contained
within a singular system (or body). In other words, heat is energy, while temperature is a measure of
energy. Adding heat will increase a body's temperature while removing heat will lower the temperature,
thus changes in temperature are the result of the presence of heat, or conversely, the lack of heat.

You can measure the temperature of a room by placing a thermometer in the room and measuring the
ambient air temperature. You can add heat to a room by turning on a space heater. As the heat is added
to the room, the temperature rises.

Particles have more energy at higher temperatures, and as this energy is transferred from one system to
another, the fast-moving particles will collide with slower moving particles. As they collide, the faster
particle will transfer some of its energy to the slower particle, and the process will continue until all the
particles are operating at the same rate. This is called thermal equilibrium.

Frequently Asked Question number 2, What causes heat to rise?

Hot air rises because gases expand as they heat up. When air heats up and expands, its density also
decreases. The warmer, less dense air effectively floats on top of the colder, denser air below it. This
creates a buoyant force that causes the warmer air to rise.

Frequently Asked Question number 3, What are the dangers of heat?

To us, prolonged exposure to extreme heat can cause heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat stroke, and
death, as well as exacerbate preexisting chronic conditions, such as various respiratory, cerebral, and
cardiovascular diseases.

Frequently Asked Question number 4, What are the effects of heat?

When gases, liquids and solids are heated, they expand. As they cool, they contract or get smaller. The
expansion of the gases and liquids is because the particles are moving around very fast when they are
heated and are able to move further apart so they take up more room. If the gas or liquid is heated in a
closed container, the particles collide with the sides of the container, and this causes pressure. The
greater the number of collisions, the greater the pressure.

Sometimes when a house is on fire, the windows will explode outwards. This is because the air in the
house has been heated and the excited molecules are moving at high speed around the room. They are
pushing against the walls, ceiling, floor and windows. Because the windows are the weakest part of the
house structure, they break and burst open, releasing the increased pressure.

This is the formula to solve heat Q = mcΔT, where Q is the symbol for heat transfer, m is the mass of the
substance, and ΔT is the change in temperature. The symbol c stands for specific heat and depends on
the material and phase.

Sign Conventions for Heat Energy Transfer

In physical equations, the amount of heat transferred is usually denoted by the symbol Q. Heat transfer
may be indicated by either a positive or negative number. Heat that is released into the surroundings is
written as a negative quantity (Q < 0). When heat is absorbed from the surroundings, it is written as a
positive value (Q > 0).

Heat Problems