CHAPTER (11) THERMAL

ENERGY TRANSFERS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
carry out experiments to demonstrate conduction, convection and radiation

explain why some materials conduct and others do not

describe and explain convection currents

explain thermal energy radiation

investigate the difference between good and bad emitters of radiation

research applications and consequences of thermal energy transfer

11.1 Conduction

📛 Thermal energy needs a temperature difference if it is to be transferred

thermal energy travels from a hotter place to a colder place

from a higher temperature to a lower temperature

🌡️ Heat transfer only occurs in the direction of decreasing temperature

🪨 Conduction is the main way in which energy passes through a solid

CHAPTER (11) THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFERS 1

 the solid/material itself cannot move

the particles inside the material vibrate (or) move to carry and transfer
thermal energy

Both metals and non-metals conduct thermal energy.

✰ Explaining conduction in metals

🪨 free electrons in metallic conductors move as they get hot and carry
thermal energy throughout the conductor

conductor heated → free electrons gain kinetic and thermal energy →

vibrates and carry thermal energy to another electrons

an efficient way of transferring thermal energy

✰ this makes metals good conductors

✰ Explaining conduction in non-metals

🪨 hot particles share their energy with their neighbor particles by collision

conductor heated → temperature difference created → allows the thermal

energy to flow → collisions occur → energy consistently transferred
throughout the conductor

an inefficient way of transferring thermal energy

✰this makes non-metals poor conductors

Q: What’s the difference between the ways they transfer thermal energy?

CHAPTER (11) THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFERS 2

 11.2 Convection

🚰 Convection is the main way in which fluids (liquids and gases) transfer
thermal energy

the material itself moves

can be observed in any fluids where particles can flow

✰ Explaining convection

🚰 warm fluid rises above the surroundings, and cooler fluid sinks down to
replace the warm particles until they gain energy and the cycle repeats

fluid is heated → particles gain energy and they expand (move faster) →
becomes less dense → rise above cooler particles → colder particles sink
down and replace warmer ones → warm particles eventually loses their
energy → colder ones now gain energy → cycle repeats

Difference between Conduction and Convection

🪨 Conduction - energy is transferred through a material from a warmer place

to a colder one without the material itself moving

CHAPTER (11) THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFERS 3

 🚰 Convection - energy is transferred through a fluid (liquid, gas) from a
warmer place to a cooler one by the movement of the material itself

Particles gain thermal and kinetic energy in BOTH Conduction and Convection.

11.3 Radiation

🎴 Radiation is the only way in which thermal energy can travel through
empty space (vacuum)
→ only form of thermal energy transfer that does not involve the movement of
particles

radiation travel as electromagnetic waves

travels in a straight line and over broad distances

radiation does not need a medium to travel through

☀️ Infra-red radiation

electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength greater than that of visible

light ; also known as thermal radiation

Infra-red radiation:

produced by warm objects

a form of electromagnetic radiation

CHAPTER (11) THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFERS 4

 travels through empty space and air

travels in straight lines

warms the object that absorbs it

invisible to the naked eye

can be detected by the nerve cells in the skin

Good emitters and Good absorbers

Surface of an object determines whether it absorbs, emit or reflect thermal radiation.

⬜ Shiny or white surfaces are best emitters and reflectors

worst absorbers

⬛ Matte black surfaces are the best absorbers and emitters

worst reflectors

Amount of thermal radiation emitted by an object depends on

three factors:

1. temperature of the object

a. hotter → more radiation

2. color of the object

a. black → more radiation

3. surface area of the object

a. greater surface area → more area for radiation to me emitted from

CHAPTER (11) THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFERS 5

 objects hotter than its surroundings emit energy and eventually loses it so, it
cools down

objects cooler than its surroundings try to reach the same temperature by
absorbing energy; it gets warmer

objects with constant temperature are emitting and absorbing energy at the
same rate

11.4 Consequences of Thermal Energy Transfer

Hot objects have a lot of internal energy.
→ energy can escape from an object by the means of conduction, convection, or
radiation

→ a lot of unnecessary energy may be used

📛 To keep energy in something hotter than its surroundings, it needs to be

insulated

Q: Why insulation?

A: Insulation reduces or slows heat transfer by either reflecting thermal radiation

or decreasing thermal conduction and convection. It creates a thermal barrier
between a hot and cold object.

CHAPTER (11) THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFERS 6

 🚫 To prevent thermal loss by:

Conduction or Convection : create a vacuum or trapped air (because

they both need a medium to transfer thermal energy

Radiation : use a material that can either absorb or reflect infra-red

radiation

Evaporation or Convection : place a material to stop the convection

currents from forming or particles from escaping or gaining energy

CHAPTER (11) THERMAL ENERGY TRANSFERS 7