Unit 9

Thermal Physics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE_zpk-EznQ
 Objectives
At the of this class students should be able to :
• Differentiate between Heat and Temperature
• State Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
• State three common scales used to represent
Temperature
• State the lower limit of temperature – Absolute Zero
• Appreciate the concept of Thermal Expansion to
solve problems.
Key Terms: Heat, Temperature, Zeroth Law of
Thermodynamics, Absolute Zero, Thermal Expansion
 Heat & Temperature
• Thermal means heat and when do object heat up;
when their temperature increases
• There is an energy exchange between objects due
to difference in temperature – Heat flow occurs in
the bodies
• Heat flows from Hot to cold region – cause atoms
to gain energy and start to move.
• Heat is a form of energy and distribution of KE of
moving atoms is called HEAT
• Scalar quantity & measure in Joules
 Heat & Temperature cont’d
• Temperature is an indication of how hot or cold
the object is
• Concept of Temperature is simply Hotness &
coldness of object (material)
• Thermometer is one instrument that measures
temperature
• Scalar Quantity
• Measured in degree Celsius
 Thermal Equilibrium
• Two bodies are said to be in Thermal equilibrium
if their temperatures are the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NYHUFT9uVo

• Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics - If bodies A and

B are separately in thermal equilibrium with a
third body C, then A and B will be in thermal
equilibrium with each other if placed in contact.
 Thermometers and Temperature Scales
• There are three common scales that are used to
represent the temperature. These are:
• 1) Celsius temperature scale (°C);
• 2) Fahrenheit temperature scale (°F)
• 3) Kelvin temperature scale (K)

Lower limit of
temperature is called
– Absolute zero
and is designated as
0 Kelvin = -273.15
Degree Celsius
Conversion between the three temperature scales

Celsius to Kelvin Celsius to Fahrenheit

K = C + 273.15 F = C x (9/5) + 32

C = (F - 32) x (5/9)
C = K - 273.15

•The temperature difference between the inside and outside of a home on

a cold winter day is 57.0°F. Express this difference on the Celsius and
Kelvin scales..
C = (F - 32) x (5/9) K = C + 273.15
= ( 57 -32) x (5/9) = 13.89 + 273.15
= 287.04 K
= 13.89 °C
 Thermal Expansion
• At ordinary temperatures, molecules vibrate with a
small amplitude. As temperature increases, the
amplitude increases. This causes the overall object
as a whole to expand.
– It gets longer – length increases
– Its area may increase
– Its Volume may increase
Hotter
 Linear Thermal Expansion
• Increase in any one dimension of a solid is called
linear expansion, linear in the sense that the
expansion occurs along a line.
• The change in the length of materials is directly
proportional to the change in temperature.

change in length change in temperature

average coefficient of linear expansion initial length

• Total length
 Surface Area Expansion
• Because the linear dimensions of an object change
with temperature, it follows that the surface area and
volume also change with temperature.
• Initial Length therefore the initial area is:
• Temperature increases, the length of each side
increases:
• New Area is thus:

• Surface area expansion is:

 Volume Expansion
• Using the same procedure as above, it can be
shown that the increase in volume of an object
accompanying a change in temperature is:
Example
1. Convert 20 Degree Celsius to kelvin

20 + 273.15 = 293.15 K

2.Convert 20 Degree Celsius to Fahrenheit

Example cont’d
Example cont’d
Summary
• Heat & Temperature
• Thermal equilibrium
• Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
• Linear Thermal Expansion
• Volume Expansion
• Surface Area Expansion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH7VfJDq7f4