Heat and temperature

What is heat?

• It is that form of energy (thermal) which is associated

with the random motion of the particles that make up
matter.

• The greater the amount of thermal energy/heat that

particle of matter possess, the faster they move, the
more vigorously they vibrate and the harder they collide
with each other.
 What is heat?

• It can ‘flow’ through matter by transmitting vibration

from a higher energy particle to a neighboring lower
energy particle.

• It is measured in the unit of the joule (J).

 What is temperature?

• It is the measure of the absolute amount of heat/thermal

energy that an object possesses.

• Higher temperature objects have more heat while lower

temperature objects have less heat.

• A temperature difference drives a heat flow process; the

greater the temperature difference, the greater the flow of
heat between two regions.
 What is temperature?

• Heat ALWAYS flow naturally from a higher temperature

region to a lower temperature region; to achieve the
opposite flow, external work needs to be applied.

• Absolute temperature is measured in the unit of the

kelvin (K).
Where can heat be found?
 How do we measure heat?

• Heat energy can be measured using devices that are

designed to produce a physical change when they
‘detect’ a temperature change.

• These devices include:

• Thermometers
• Thermistors
• Thermocouples
 Thermometers
• This device reports a change in temperature by allowing a
contained fluid to change in volume (expand or contract).
There are different categories of thermometers, such as:

• Mercury-in-glass thermometer
• Alcohol-in-glass thermometer
• Clinical thermometer
• Constant-volume thermometer
Mercury-in-glass thermometer
Alcohol-in-glass thermometer
Clinical thermometer
Constant-volume thermometer (schematic)
 Thermistor (Thermal resistor)

• This device is able to change its electrical resistance when it

detects a change in temperature. To operate, it requires a
power source to provide a voltage across its terminals.
 Thermocouple
• This device is able to generate an e.m.f. or voltage across two dissimilar
metals that are joined together at a junction when the same
temperature difference is created along the lengths of both metals
simultaneously.
 Heat transfer mechanisms

• Heat can be transferred from

one region to another by three
flow mechanisms:

• Conduction
• Convection
• Radiation
 Thermal conduction

• This mechanism involves the flow of heat by transmitting vibrational energy from one
high energy particle to another that adjacent to it. This mode requires a physical
medium to travel; it cannot travel in a vacuum.
 Thermal convection
• This mechanism involves a transfer of heat energy by way of ‘mass flow’ of a fluid
(liquid or gas). The heated portion of the fluid becomes ‘lighter’ (less dense) and
rises; the colder portion of the same fluid which is ‘heavier’ (more dense) sinks to
replace the heated portion. This creates a spiral flow called a ‘convection current’.
 Thermal radiation

• This mechanism involves the transmission of heat energy via

electromagnetic radiation that is emitted and absorbed by
objects. This mode can occur in a vacuum and it takes places at
all temperatures.
 Effects of heat on matter
• Adding heat to or removing heat from matter will cause one of two of
the following:
• A change in temperature of the material OR
• A change is phase/state of the material

• The process that occurs depends on the initial temperature of the

material.

• To illustrate the effects of heat addition/removal on a material, a

heating/cooling curve graph is used.
Typical heating curve
Typical cooing curve
Heat capacity (C) vs. Specific heat capacity (c)

• For the sections of both graphs that show a change in

temperature as heat energy is transferred (sections of
slope of line), this represents a unique property of all
pure substances: its heat capacity.

• Heat capacity is defined as the total amount of heat

transferred to or from a material that produces a one
kelvin temperature change through the material.
Heat capacity (C) vs. Specific heat capacity (c)

• When definite amounts of the material are considered (1 kg, 10

kg, 1000 kg, etc.) then the specific heat capacity of that
substance must be defined in terms of the precise value of heat
involved.

• Specific heat capacity is defined as that value of heat

transferred to or from a 1 kg mass of a pure substance that will
produce a one kelvin temperature change of that mass.
Heat capacity (C) vs. Specific heat capacity (c)
 Specific heat capacity significance
• The greater the S.H.C. (specific heat capacity) of a material, the more
heat needed to be transferred (absorbed or released) per kilogram of
material to produce a 1 K or 1°C temperature.

• Materials with high S.H.C. values store heat better and undergo smaller
temperature changes than materials with low S.H.C. values.

• Good heat conductors typically have lower S.H.C. values while poor heat
conductors (insulators) have higher heat capacities
List of S.H.C. values for typical substances
Question time…..
 Specific latent heat (l)

• For the sections of both graphs that show no change in

temperature as heat energy is transferred, this represents a
phase/state change process.

• During a phase/state change, heat energy is added to increase

particle energy/vibration or removed to decrease particle
energy/vibration; it does NOT affect the temperature of the
material.
 Specific latent heat (l)

• This change in energy results in the particles either dominating

intermolecular forces OR being overcome by intermolecular
forces; a heating curve illustrates the former condition while a
cooling curve shows the later condition.

• Specific latent heat of a substance is the precise heat value

that is transferred (absorbed/released) per kilogram as the
substance completely changes phase.
Specific latent heat (l)
Specific latent heat – Fusion vs. vaporization

• Since there are two instances of phase change that occur

in matter, then there are two associated latent heats:
fusion and vaporization.

• Specific latent heat of fusion (lf) is associated with the

phase change of solid to liquid (heating) or liquid to solid
(cooling)
 Specific latent heat – Fusion vs. vaporization

• Specific latent heat of vaporization (lv) is associated with

the phase change of liquid to gas (heating) or gas to
liquid (cooling).

• Both values of latent heats for a given substance differ

significant, with lv ALWAYS being greater than lf.
List of latent heats of pure substances
Question time….