Unit 4: Thermal Energy (I.6C & I.6D)

Front

What is thermal equilibrium?

Back

Thermal equilibrium is the state in which two objects in contact with each other reach the same temperature, resulting in no net heat flow between them.

Front

How does heat flow between two objects of different temperatures?

Back

Heat flows from the object with a higher temperature to the object with a lower temperature until thermal equilibrium is reached.

Front

What is the law of conservation of energy?

Back

The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another, and the total energy in a closed system remains constant.

Front

What are the three methods of heat transfer?

Back

The three methods of heat transfer are conduction, convection, and radiation.

Front

What is conduction?

Back

Conduction is the transfer of heat through direct contact between materials, where heat energy is passed from one particle to another.

Front

What is convection?

Back

Convection is the transfer of heat through the movement of fluids (liquids or gases) caused by differences in temperature and density.

Front

What is radiation?

Back

Radiation is the transfer of heat in the form of electromagnetic waves, which can occur through a vacuum, without the need for a medium.

Front

What happens to the molecules of an object as it is heated?

Back

As an object is heated, its molecules gain energy, move faster, and tend to spread apart, increasing the object's thermal energy.

Front

What is the relationship between thermal energy and temperature?

Back

Thermal energy is the total kinetic energy of all the particles in an object, while temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of those particles.

Front

What is a closed system in thermodynamics?

Back

A closed system is a physical system that does not exchange matter with its surroundings but can exchange energy.