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Heat and Work: Comparison Chart

Work and heat are the two most important concepts in thermodynamics. While both involve the transfer of energy across systems, heat refers specifically to the transfer of thermal energy due to a temperature difference, whereas work involves the transfer of mechanical energy due to a force acting through a distance. Key differences are that heat is considered low-grade energy while work is high-grade energy, and heat transfer relies solely on temperature difference while work requires both a force and displacement.

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2K views3 pages

Heat and Work: Comparison Chart

Work and heat are the two most important concepts in thermodynamics. While both involve the transfer of energy across systems, heat refers specifically to the transfer of thermal energy due to a temperature difference, whereas work involves the transfer of mechanical energy due to a force acting through a distance. Key differences are that heat is considered low-grade energy while work is high-grade energy, and heat transfer relies solely on temperature difference while work requires both a force and displacement.

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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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  • Comparison Chart
  • Introduction to Heat and Work
  • Detailed Explanation of Work
  • Similarities
  • Detailed Explanation of Heat
  • Dissimilarities

Heat and Work

Work and heat are the two most important theories in thermodynamics. Work
and Heat are highly related but they are not the same. We are going to discuss
definitions, similarities, and Comparison between heat and work. The Key
Difference Between Heat and Work is that Heat is the transfer of thermal energy
between systems, while work is the transfer the mechanical energy between two
systems.

Comparison Chart
HEAT WORK

Heat is a form of energy Work is the amount of energy transferred


by a force acting through a distance.

Requires Temperature difference. Requires Force and Displacement.


Q > 0 when the environment is at a W > 0 when a gas is compressed.
higher temperature than the system. Energy is transferred into the system.
Energy is transferred into the system.
Q < 0 when the system is at a higher W < 0 when a gas expands. Energy is
temperature than the environment. transferred out of the system.
Energy is transferred the t of system.
Heat is low-grade energy Work is high-grade energy
The efficiency of the transfer of heat to The efficiency of the transfer of work to
work is lower. heat is higher.

Work
 If the work is done by the system on surrounding, e.g. when a fluid expands
pushing a piston outwards, the work is said to be positive.
 Work output of the system = + W
 If the work is done on the system by surrounding e.g. when a force is
 applied to a piston to compress a fluid, the work is said to be negative.
 Work output of the system = – W

Heat
 In general, the heat transferred to the system is considered as positive heat
(+Q) while the heat transferred from the system is considered as negative
heat (-Q).

Similarities
 Both are energy interactions.
 Both are transient phenomena.
 Both are boundary phenomena.
 Both represents energy crossing the boundary of the system.
 They are not the property of the system.
 Both are path functions.

Dissimilarities
 Heat transfer is the energy interaction due to temperature difference only
while work is not.
 Heat is low grade energy while work is high grade energy.
 Heat is thermal energy transfer while work is mechanical energy transfer
across the system boundary.

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