How Air Conditioners Make Cities Hotter Reading Flashcard

Front

What is the primary function of air conditioners?

Back

To cool the air inside by removing heat.

Front

What happens to the air outside when air conditioners are used?

Back

The air outside warms up due to the transfer of kinetic energy from faster to slower molecules.

Front

How much do air conditioners increase city temperatures during hot nights?

Back

They increase the city temperature by 1.8 degrees Celsius.

Front

What principle of energy is illustrated by cooling a fever with a washcloth?

Back

Energy is always transferred from warmer to cooler areas until equilibrium is reached.

Front

What occurs when faster-moving molecules of a hot forehead bump into slower-moving molecules of a washcloth?

Back

Kinetic energy is transferred from the faster-moving molecules to the slower-moving molecules.

Front

What is kinetic energy?

Back

Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion.

Front

What is thermal energy?

Back

Thermal energy is the total energy of all the particles in an object, related to temperature.

Front

What is the effect of air conditioning on indoor air quality?

Back

Air conditioning can improve indoor air quality by filtering out pollutants and humidity.

Front

What is the greenhouse effect?

Back

The greenhouse effect is the warming of Earth's surface due to trapped heat by greenhouse gases.

Front

How do air conditioners contribute to the greenhouse effect?

Back

Air conditioners release greenhouse gases, which can contribute to global warming.