Overview:
Heat energy is kinetic energy caused by the vibration of particles within a substance. Temperature is the measure of the average heat energy within a sample of the substance, while heat is the total energy. Although they are very closely related, they are not exactly the same.
How Are Heat and Temperature Different?
Heat refers to the total kinetic energy within matter. To understand the difference between heat and temperature, compare a cup of boiling water with a bathtub full of warm water. The cup of boiling water will be at a higher temperature, because its molecules will be vibrating faster, but it will actually have less heat than the bathtub of warm water, because there is more water in the bathtub to create more total kinetic energy.
What Is Heat Transfer?
Heat is transferred from one area to another by conduction, convection, and radiation. Objects have to be in contact for conduction to occur, such as the transfer of heat from hot coffee to a spoon left in the cup. Convection is the process of heat transfer in which heat is carried in a circular motion within liquids and gases. Radiation is the process of heat transfer in which part of the energy from light is experienced as infrared energy or heat.
How Does a Thermometer Work?
A thermometer can measure temperature because of heat transfer, the expansion of materials when they are heated, and the contraction of materials when they are cooled. Heat naturally flows from a warmer substance to a cooler substance, until both have the same kinetic energy. When the substance being measured is hotter than the liquid in the thermometer, the liquid in the thermometer expands within its tube, and when it is cooler, the liquid in the thermometer (usually mercury or alcohol) contracts. The thermometer is calibrated, or marked, according to the measurement scale used.
What Are Common Temperature Scales?
The Celsius scale is based on the freezing point of water, represented by 0o, and the boiling point of water, represented by 1000. The Fahrenheit scale has the freezing point of water at 320, and the boiling point at 2120. To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, the temperature is 5/9 of the temperature in Fahrenheit minus 32. For example, if the Fahrenheit temperature is 950 F, it is 5/9 (95-32) or 5/9 (66), or 35o C. On the Kelvin scale, the freezing temperature of water is 273.150 and the boiling temperature of water is 373.150. The zero point of that scale is absolute zero, the point at which molecules stop moving.
Interested in Science tutoring services? Learn more about how we are assisting thousands of students each academic year.
SchoolTutoring Academy is the premier educational services company for K-12 and college students. We offer tutoring programs for students in K-12, AP classes, and college. To learn more about how we help parents and students in Spearfish, SD visit: Tutoring in Spearfish, SD