TOPIC 9.3 Thermal Energy Transfer and Equilibrium

Front

What is thermal contact between two systems?

Back

Two systems are in thermal contact if they may transfer energy by thermal processes.

Front

What is heating in terms of energy transfer?

Back

Heating is the transfer of energy into a system by thermal processes.

Front

What is cooling in terms of energy transfer?

Back

Cooling is the transfer of energy out of a system by thermal processes.

Front

What are the thermal processes by which energy may be transferred between systems at different temperatures?

Back

The thermal processes are conduction, convection, and radiation.

Front

How is energy transferred through thermal processes between systems of different temperatures?

Back

Energy is transferred spontaneously from a higher-temperature system to a lower-temperature system.

Front

What happens during collisions between atoms from different systems?

Back

Energy is most likely to be transferred from higher-energy atoms to lower-energy atoms.

Front

What is the most probable state after many collisions of atoms from different systems?

Back

The most probable state is one in which both systems have the same temperature.

Front

What is thermal equilibrium?

Back

Thermal equilibrium results when no net energy is transferred by thermal processes between two systems in thermal contact with each other.