SCIENCE9 4TH Quarter Module 5

LESSON

5
HEAT, INTERNAL ENERGY,
& THEMAL EFFICIENCY
The concept of heat and its
relationship with temperature
has been discussed in previous
grade levels. Heat is a form of
energy that can be transferred
from one body to another as a
result of a difference in their
temperature. In its natural
condition, heat always transfers
from objects of higher
temperature to objects of lower
temperature. During this
process, energy (in the form of
heat) is lost from warmer object
and is gained by a cooler object.
This transfer of energy from
warmer to a cooler object increases the latter’s internal energy. The internal energy of a
substance is the sum of molecular kinetic energy (energy due to random motion of molecules)
and the molecular potential energy.
When heat flows in an adiabatic process (involves no heat transfer between the system and
its surroundings), the internal energy of the hot substance DECREASES and the internal
energy of the cold substance INCREASES. To better understand how heat causes the internal
energy of a system to increase, study the results of a conducted experiment involving water
and its temperature:

Water temperature Water temperature Water temperature 10

BEFORE boiling (oC) WHILE boiling (oC) mins AFTER boiling (oC)
37 100 82

The results show that water has different temperatures: before it is boiled, while it is
boiling, and after it has boiled. The water’s temperature is significantly lower before it is
boiled, it is at 100oC when it was boiling, and gradually lowers after it has been boiled. This
signifies heat transfer since the temperature of water changes (from 37oC to 100oC). Further,
this also indicates that energy (in the form of heat) is also being added to water, thus
increasing its internal energy.

Heat, Energy, and Work

Energy is needed to perform work. Both energy and work are words which tend to be
used a lot in everyday life. In physics, however, they have a specific meaning. Energy is a
measurement of the ability of something to do work. It can be stored, measured, and
can transform from one form to another. Work, on the other hand, is done when a force
acts upon an object to cause its displacement.

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 When work is done on a body,
energy is transferred to that body. The
transfer of energy to the body increases
the internal energy, which will later
decrease as the body converts it to heat.
Consider the hot air balloon as an
example. The work done by the hot air
comes from the heat that was supplied by
the flame. Energy (as heat) from the flame
is transferred to the air inside the balloon.
The inside air’s internal energy increases,
which will also increase its volume. The air
inside will then expand and will provide a
force against the inside surface of the
balloon and inflates it.

As discussed in the previous module, heat can do work when there is a difference in
temperature which allows energy (in the form of heat) to transfer. The study of heat and its
transformation into mechanical energy is referred to as thermodynamics.

Heat Engine
A heat engine is any device that
converts heat into mechanical work. There
are requirements for a heat engine to
perform: heat source (high temperature
reservoir), heat sink (low temperature
reservoir), and the engine must perform
work. Heat is taken in by the engine from the
high temperature reservoir (Th). The heat
absorbed is used to perform work (W).
However, not all absorbed heat can be
converted to work by an engine, there will
always be waste heat that goes to the cold
temperature reservoir (Tc). Heat engines are
an example that transferring of heat can be
used to do work.
Diagram of a heat engine.
The energy, converted as useful mechanical
work, is equal to the difference in the heat input and the heat output:
W = QH – QC
Sample problem 1:
A certain engine turns 800 J of input energy into 560 J of useful work and the rest of the
energy is released to the surroundings. How much energy is released to the environment?

QH = 800 J, W = 560 J. Find QC

QC = QH – W
= 800 J – 560 J
QC = 240 J

SCIENCE-GRADE 9 2
Refrigerators and Heat Pumps
In a natural process, heat must flow from a
high temperature region to a low temperature
region. To make this flow in the reverse direction,
external work must be done. A heat pump
(refrigerator) is a device that transfers heat energy
from a low temperature reservoir to a high
temperature reservoir. The result is that work is
done on the system; heat is extracted from a low
temperature source and rejected to a high
temperature source.

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Thermal Efficiency
In using heat engines, the amount of work can be increased if less heat will be released
to the low temperature body. If no heat is released to the low-temperature body, then all heat
absorbed will be converted to work. Unfortunately, this is impossible because some waste
heat is always produced in a heat engine. Therefore, work can never be equal to the heat
absorbed by the system, and so it is impossible to build a 100% efficient engine.
How well a machine operates is the ratio of the useful work done to the heat provided
is the thermal efficiency. In equation:
𝑤𝑤
Efficiency = 𝑄𝑄 × 100
𝐻𝐻

Sample Problem 2: If an engine turns 950 J of input energy into 400 J of useful work, what
is its thermal efficiency?
W = 400 J, QH = 950 J
400𝐽𝐽
Efficiency =950𝐽𝐽 × 100

= 42.1%

Carnot Efficiency
The Carnot engine, named after Sadi Carnot, is the
ideal heat engine with the highest possible efficiency. Carnot
analyzed the cycle of a heat engine and he discovered that
under ideal condition, the highest possible efficiency can be
calculated.
𝑇𝑇𝐻𝐻 − 𝑇𝑇𝑐𝑐
Ideal Efficiency (Carnot Efficiency) = × 100
𝑇𝑇𝐻𝐻
TH = Temp of the high temperature body
TC = Temp of the cold temperature body
*Temperatures MUST be expressed in Kelvin.

Sample Problem 3: A hot gas is injected into an engine at

300oC and exhausts at 70oC. What is the highest efficiency
possible of this engine?

TH = 300oC + 273 = 573 K; TC = 70oC + 273 = 343 K Sadi Carnot

𝑇𝑇𝐻𝐻 − 𝑇𝑇𝑐𝑐
Ideal Efficiency (Carnot Efficiency) = × 100
𝑇𝑇𝐻𝐻

573𝐾𝐾 − 343𝐾𝐾
× 100
573𝐾𝐾

= 40.1%

SCIENCE-GRADE 9 4
 NOTE: PLEASE SUBMIT THIS PAGE ONLY! SCIE. 9 Q4 ASSESSMENT NO. 5

NAME: ____________________________________________________________SCORE: ______________

GRADE/SECTION: DATE: ______ TEACHER: MR. JEROME L. HIZON

A. ANALIZATION
Directions: The illustration shows how the
molecules of a gas move in a higher and a lower
temperature inside a closed system. Based on your
observation, answer the following questions: (15 pts)

1. How do the molecules’ movement in higher

temperature differ from the molecules’ movement in
lower temperature?
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2. How is the molecules’ movement relevant to the
object’s internal energy (labeled here as KE)?
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3. What can you conclude about the relationship of
heat, temperature, and an object’s internal energy?
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You and Thermodynamics (10 pts)

One can compare one’s body with that of a heat

engine. Since like a heat engine, the human body
also undergoes a cyclic process every day. To recall,
a heat engine needs a source of energy (heat or Q)
and it performs useful work (W). Suppose you are
comparing John’s body with a heat engine. In your
understanding, where does John’s body get its heat
(Q) and what are the ways can it perform work (W)?
Explain in 3-5 sentences.

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PROBLEM SOLVING (5 pts each)

1. An engine can turn 950 J of input energy into 225 J of useful work. Calculate the
remaining energy this engine cannot convert into useful work.

2. Suppose a steam engine receives steam at 600K. The engine uses part of this thermal
energy for work. It exhausts the rest to a condenser at a temperature of 350K.
What is the maximum efficiency of this steam engine?

SCIENCE-GRADE 9 5