THEORIES OF HEAT

The Caloric Theory

It was first thought that heat was a weightless fluid called caloric.
 Caloric could neither be created nor destroyed and was present in all matter.
A hot object contained a large quantity of caloric while a cold object contained very little of no
caloric.
 Heat was transferred from one place to another via the movement of caloric.
Temperature rose due to the addition of caloric. Temperature fell due to the removal of caloric.

Limitations of the Caloric Theory

 Lack of experimental evidence to show that a hot body weighed more than a cold one.
 It was difficult to weigh a hot body accurately when the temperature was changing.

REFUTING THE CALORIC THEORY - CANNON BORING EXPERIMENT

In 1798, Benjamin Thompson, also known as Count Rumford, discredited the caloric theory of heat.
His experiment was called the Cannon Boring Experiment.

Horses were used to turn a blunt drill bit. The drill bit was used to bore a brass cannon.

Observations
 The brass cannon and the brass borings became very hot.
 This heating effect continued as long as the drilling continued.

Conclusions
 Heat was generated from motion.
 Since heat could be generated then it is not possible for heat to be a material substance (matter
cannot be created).
 Thermal energy is produced when work is done against friction, as in the case of the drilling.
James Prescott Joule (1818–1889)
Joule was an English physicist who studied the nature of heat. This led to the theory of conservation of
energy.
The SI unit of work, the joule, is named after him.
Joule's work contradicted the widespread belief that heat was a fluid, "caloric", that could be neither
created nor destroyed, whereas Joule claimed that heat was only one of many forms of energy.

 In his most famous experiment, Joule attached some weights to strings and pulleys and connected
them to a paddle wheel inside an insulated container of water.
 Then he raised the weights to an appropriate height and slowly dropped them. As they fell, the paddle
wheel began to turn, stirring up the water, and increasing the temperature.
 Energy was thereby converted from mechanical to heat.