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Matter In Motion
Temperature
- Temperature of an object & kinetic energy of atoms and molecules are related
- Temperature equals measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in an object
Thermal Energy
Thermal energy: sum of kinetic and potential energy of all particles in an object
- Collisions between particles of two different objects transfer energy from faster
moving particles to slower moving; thereby increasing temperature of cooler
object.
Heat
Heat: thermal energy that flows from something at a higher temperature to something at a
lower temperature
Question: How are heat & thermal energy related?
Specific Heat
Specific heat: amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of 1kg of material by 1
degree Celsius
(Water has the highest specific heat because it can absorb heat without a large change in
temperature)
As long as water temperature is lower then engine temperature, heat will flow
from engine to coolant/water
Change in thermal energy (Q) = mass (kg) x change in temp x specific heat (J/kgxcelsius)
Q = m x (Tf Ti) x C
Q = Joules
Thermal energy is transferred by collision between particles with more kinetic energy to
particles with less kinetic energy.
Example: Heating spoon with Bunsen burner. Thermal energy transfer occurs from one
end to another.
Conduction occurs easier with liquids and solids than is gases, because with gases
particles are farther apart so collisions with other particles occur less frequently
than with solids or liquids.
Convection
Convection: transfer of thermal energy in a fluid by the movement of warmer and cooler
fluid from place to place.
When conduction occurs, more energetic particles collide with less energetic
particles to transfer energy. When convection occurs, more energetic particles in
fluid move from over place to another.
Fluid expands as temperature increases. When a fluid expands its volume
increases, but its mass does not change. As a result, density decreases causing
movement of fluid.
Convection currents transfer heat from warmer to cooler parts of the fluid
In a convection current, both conduction & convection transfer thermal energy
Radiation
- When radiation strikes a material, some of the energy is absorbed, some reflected, and
some transmitted through the material; depending on the material in question.
- Radiant energy usually passes more easily through gases than through solids & liquids
due to particle separation
- When radiant energy absorbed by a material causes thermal energy increase.
Insulators: material in which heat flows slowly (fiberglass, air, plastic, asbestos)
Second Law of Thermodynamics = impossible fro heat to flow form a cooler object to a
warmer object unless work is done
When heat flows from a warmer object to a cooler object the thermal energy of
the warmer object decreases & thermal energy of cooler object increases (i.e.
increase of thermal energy of cooler object equals decrease in thermal energy of
warmer object)
Energy will not flow spontaneously from a lower temperature to higher
temperature.
Principles of a Refrigerator
- Refrigerator contains coolant that is pumped through pipes inside and outside of
refrigerator (p.178 Illustration)
- Liquid coolant is pumped through an expansion valve causing a change from liquid to a
gas. When coolant changes states (liquid to gas) it cools. The cold gas is pumped into
interior of refrigerator through pipes inside refrigerator where coolant absorbs heat
energy/thermal energy causing decrease in internal temperature.
- Gas pumped to compressor that makes gas warmer than exterior temperature of room.
Warm gas pumped through condenser coils where thermal energy is transferred to the
room. As gas gives off heat, it cools and changes back to a liquid.