Sources of Earth’s

Internal Heat and

Heat Transfer
Learning Objective
1. Identify the sources of
Earth’s Internal Heat
2. Discuss the types of heat
transfer
 PRETEST
1. Which of the following is not a
method of heat transfer?
a. Radiation
b. Insulation
c. Conduction
d. Convection
 PRETEST
2. Heat transfer from movement of
particles?
a. Radiation
b. Insulation
c. Conduction
d. Convection
 PRETEST
3. In this process, heat transfer from direct
contact with a source of thermal energy;
energy is passed from particle to particle
(happens most easily in solids)
a. Radiation c. Conduction
b. Insulation d. Convection
 PRETEST
4. Which of the ff. refers to transfer of
energy from a place of higher
temperature to a place of lower
temperature?

a. Radiation c. Heat Transfer

b. Insulation d. Convection
 PRETEST
5. How does heat energy reach the
Earth from the Sun?
a. Radiation
b. Insulation
c. Conduction
d. Convection
Sources of Heat
✓ The flow of heat from Earth's interior to the
surface and it comes from two main sources
in equal amounts: the radiogenic heat
produced by the radioactive decay of
isotopes in the mantle and crust, and the
primordial heat left over from the
formation of the Earth.
✓ During the early formation of the Earth, the internal
heat energy that gradually gathered together by
means of dispersion in the planet during its few
million years of evolution is called Primordial heat.
✓ The core is a storage of primordial heat that
originates from times of accretion when kinetic
energy of colliding particles was transformed into
thermal energy. This heat is constantly lost to the
outer silicate layers of the mantle and crust of the
earth through convection and conduction
✓ On the other hand, the thermal energy released as a result of
spontaneous nuclear disintegration is called Radiogenic
Heat.
✓ It involves the disintegration of natural radioactive elements
inside the earth – like Uranium, Thorium and Potassium.
✓ Uranium is a special kind of element because when it
decays, heat (radiogenic) is produced.
✓ Radioactive elements exist everywhere on the earth in a
fairly significant concentration. Without the process of
radioactive decay, there would be fewer volcanoes and
earthquakes – and less formation of earth’s vast mountain
ranges.
 Heat Transfer
• Heat always moves from a warmer place to
a cooler place.
• Hot objects in a cooler room will cool to
room temperature.
• Cold objects in a warmer room will heat up
to room temperature.
Heat is energy in motion (or transit)
• It is the transfer of energy from a place of higher
temperature to a place of lower temperature.
• Heat only moves toward the lower-temperature body.
• It is incorrect to say an object contains heat.
NOTHING contains heat.
• Heat is a process (that’s used as a verb not a noun)
• Heat is not a “thing” but an energy transfer.
 Heat Transfer Methods
Heat transfers in three ways:
– Conduction
– Convection
– Radiation
 Conduction
• Conduction – heat transfer from direct contact
with a source of thermal energy; energy is
passed from particle to particle (happens most
easily in solids)
• It governs the thermal conditions in almost
entire solid portions of the Earth and plays a
very important role in the lithosphere.
• Thermal Conductor – a substance that easily
passes thermal energy (heat) through it
(examples: metals)

• Thermal Insulator – a substance that prevents

thermal energy (heat) transfer (example: wood,
plastic)
 Conduction examples
The pot heats up
because it is ON
the hot stove
element.

This person must use a

pot holder because her
The metal is heating hand would go through
because it is IN the conduction if it were
fire ON the cookie sheet.
 Convection
Convection – heat transfer from
movement of particles; warmer particles
rise while cooler sink; does NOT
happen in solids, only liquids and gases
Why is it windy at the seaside?
Example of convection
 Radiation
Radiation – heat transfer through
electromagnetic waves; waves transfer
their energy when they come into
contact with substance; can happen
through space or medium
The third method of heat transfer

How does heat energy There are no particles

get from the Sun to the between the Sun and the
Earth so it CANNOT travel
Earth?
by conduction or by
convection.

? RADIATION
Heat from the Earth's core and radiation
from the Sun is transferred to the surface
of the Earth by conduction.

Contact of the atmosphere with these

warm surfaces transfers thermal energy,
which then heats up the rest of the air
through convection.
 POSTTEST
1. Which of the following is not a
method of heat transfer?
a. Radiation
b. Insulation
c. Conduction
d. Convection
 POSTTEST
2. Heat transfer from movement of
particles?
a. Radiation
b. Insulation
c. Conduction
d. Convection
 POSTTEST
3. In this process, heat transfer from direct
contact with a source of thermal energy;
energy is passed from particle to particle
(happens most easily in solids)
a. Radiation c. Conduction
b. Insulation d. Convection
 POSTTEST
4. Which of the ff. refers to transfer of
energy from a place of higher
temperature to a place of lower
temperature?

a. Radiation c. Heat Transfer

b. Insulation d. Convection
 POSTTEST
5. How does heat energy reach the
Earth from the Sun?
a. Radiation
b. Insulation
c. Conduction
d. Convection