Thermal Energy

Thermal Energy
Temperature
Heat transfer
HEAT vs. Temperature
 In everyday language, temperature,
heat, and thermal energy are used to
describe the same idea.
 In reality these concepts are very
different!
KMT
Kinetic Molecular Theory (KMT)
1. Matter is made up of particles that are in
constant motion. This motion gives the
particles kinetic energy (Ek)
KMT
Kinetic Molecular Theory (KMT)
2. Particles exert attractive and repulsive
forces that keep them a certain distance
apart. These forces give the particles
potential energy (Ep)

Ep
Temperature
 Temperature is a measure of the average
kinetic energy of the particles.

Low Temperature High Temperature

Low Ek High Ek
Thermal Energy
o Thermal Energy (ET) is a measure of the
total energy of ALL the particles

Thermal = Kinetic + Potential

Energy Energy Energy
Thermal Energy
50oC 5 oC
10 L
0.1 L

Higher Temp Lower Temp

More Ek per particle Less Ek per particle

Lower ET Higher ET
Fewer particles More particles
Thermal Energy
Which has a greater temperature?

Lower Temp Higher Temp

Less Ek per particle More Ek per particle
Thermal Energy
Which has a greater thermal energy?

Higher ET Lower ET
More particles Fewer particles
Heat
 Heat is the flow of Thermal Energy from
an object of HIGH temperature to an object of
LOW temperature

HIG Low
HTem Temp
p
Heat Transfer
Thermal energy can be transferred by one
of three possible methods:

Convection

Energized Non-Energized
Molecules Molecules

Conduction Radiatio
n
 RADIATION
 the transfer of energy in the form of
electromagnetic waves
Electromagnetic
Electromagnetic waves
waves

 these waves travel at the speed of light,

300 000 km/s

radiation can travel through empty space
since it doesn’t require particles during the transfer
Conduction
 the transfer of thermal energy through particle
collisions in solids

 there is no large scale movement of the particles

Conduction
 particles with high thermal energy move faster,
and transfer their energy to other less energetic,
slower moving particles in a series of collisions

PARTICLE collisions
Convection
 the transfer of thermal energy through the
movement of particles in a FLUID (liquid or gas)
 Convection
as the fluid cools, the
that part of the fluid particles lose energy,
becomes less dense move closer together,
and rises the fluid becomes more
dense and falls

when fluid particles

gain energy, they
move faster, and
spread apart
Convection

 the circulating path of fluid is called a

convection current