TRANSFER OF

THERMAL ENERGY
CONDUCTION
Conduction is the process by which heat is transmitted through a
medium from its hotter part to its colder part until they are both at the
same temperature.
Conduction occurs only in solid.

Explanation:
• Molecules in a solid are arranged very close to each other.
• When one end of the metal rod is heated, the molecules at this end
vibrate faster due to the increased kinetic energy.
• The molecules collide with the neighboring molecules and cause
them to vibrate faster.
• This process is repeated until the molecules of the rod at the other
end vibrate faster.
• Thus heat has been transferred from one end of the rod to the other
end.
THERMAL CONDUCTORS
Materials which allow heat to flow through it well are called thermal
conductors.
Examples: copper, Aluminum, iron, gold etc….
 
THERMAL INSULATORS
Materials which do not allow heat to flow through it well are called
thermal insulators or poor conductors.
Examples: Glass, Water, Plastics, Rubber, Wood etc..
Materials containing air (wool, fiberglass, plastic foam,
expanded polystyrene)
COMPARING THERMAL CONDUCTORS
Diagram below shows one way to compare different metals. The
metal rods are all the same size. Each has a blob of wax at one end.
They all heated equally at the other end. The best conductor is the
metal on which the wax melt first.
TO SHOW THAT WATER IS A BAD CONDUCTOR OF HEAT
Procedure
 
 

1. Set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram.

2. Heat the water at the top of the test tube gently to boil the water.
 
Observation & conclusion
1. The water at the top of the test tube boils while water at the bottom
of the test tube remains cold and the ice does not melt.
2. The experiment shows that water is a bad conductor of heat.
Examples of everyday application:
1. All metals are good conductors of heat. So cooking pans, kettles,
electric iron are made of copper, aluminum or steel.

2. Plastic and wood are poor conductors (good insulators). Therefore

handles of cooking utensils are made of plastics or wood.

3. Air is a very good insulator. So if a substance contains a layer of

trapped air, it can stop the conduction of heat. For example, wool
keeps you warm because it traps a lot of air. The air trapped in and
between our clothes and blankets keeps us warm.

4. In the same way, the air trapped in fur and feathers keeps animals
warm. Birds fluff up their feathers in winter to trap more air.
CONVECTION
Convection is the process by which heat is transferred from one place
to another by the movements of heated particles of a gas or liquid.
Convection can only occurs in fluid (liquid and gas)

CONVECTION IN LIQUID
In the experiment below, the bottom of the beaker is being gently
heated in one place only. As the water above the flame become warmer,
it expands and become less dense. It raises upwards as cooler, dense
water sinks and displaces the less dense water. The result is a
circulating stream, called convection current. Where the water is
heated, its particles circulate; they transfer energy to the other parts of
the beaker.
CONVECTION IN AIR
In the set-up shown in the diagram, smoke is been to move through the
box. The candle heats the air above it and causes less dense air to rise,
setting up convection currents. The denser colder air is force into the
box.
Examples of everyday application:
1. Heated by the sun, warm air rises above the equator as it is
displaced by the cooler, dense air sinking to north and south. The
result is huge convection current in the Earth’s atmosphere. These
cause winds across all oceans and continents.
2. Day breeze (land breeze) and night breeze (sea breeze)
During day time, in hot sunshine, the land heats up more quickly than
the sea. Warm air rises above the land, as it is displaced by cooler air
moving in from the sea. This is called day breeze.
At night the sea heats up. The sea stays warmer than the land. Which
cools down quickly, warmer air now rises above the sea, as it is
displaced by cooler air moving out from the land. This process is
called night breeze.
3. Hot water system
Cold water in the storage tank sinks down to the boiler, where it is
heated. The heated water in the boiler rises to the top of the storage
tank. In this way, a supply of hot water collects in the storage tank
from the top down. The storage tank is insulated to reduce thermal
energy losses by conduction and convection. The header tank provides
the pressure to push the water out of the taps.
4. Refrigerator
Cold air sinks below the freezer compartment. This sets up a
circulating current of air which cools all the food in the refrigerator.
5. Air conditioner
Cold air sinks below the air conditioner and hot air at the bottom of
the room rises up. This sets up a circulating current of air which cools
all air in the room.
6. Room heating
Warm air rising above a convector heater or radiator carries thermal
energy all around the room-through unfortunately; the coolest air is
around your feet.
RADIATION
Radiation is the process by which heat is transmitted from a hot object
to another in the form of electromagnetic waves (infra red).
This process does not require any medium.
It can take place in a vacuum.
Different objects give out different amounts of radiation, depending on
their temperature and their surface.

EMITTERS AND ABSORBERS

Some surface are better at emitting (sending out) thermal radiation
than others.
Good emitters of thermal radiation are also good absorbers.
Black colour is good absorber and also good emitter of thermal
radiation.
White and silver colour are bad absorber and emitter of thermal
radiation but good reflector of radiation.
  COMPARING ABSORBERS
Put water two cans, one is painted with black colour and another is
painted with silver colour. Cover the both cans and put thermometer to
each cans and kept both cans into direct sunlight for sometime.
It is found that the temperature of black colour can higher than silver
colour can.
This means black colour is good absorber of heat.
COMPARING EMITTERS
Put hot water into two cans, cover both the cans and put thermometer
into each can. Keep both cans where there were no sunlight.

It is found that the reading of the thermometer in the black can falls
more quickly that silver can.
This means black colour is good emitter of thermal radiation.
REDUCING HEAT LOST FROM HOMES
Energy tends to escape from a hot object, spreading to its cooler
surroundings by conduction, convection and radiation. This can be a
great problem. We may use a lot of energy (and money) to heat our
homes during cold weather, and the energy simply escapes.
A well insulated house can avoid a lot of energy wastage during cold
weather. The insulation can also help to prevent the house from
becoming uncomfortably hot during warm weather.