Thermal Energy - Key Concepts

You heat a pot of water to make tea.  What happens to the particles?

• The kinetic energy of the particles decreases
• The kinetic energy of the particles stays the same
• The kinetic energy of the particles increases
• The potential energy of the particles decreases

Energy moves from ...

• Cold to Hot
• Hot to Cold

A hot and cold object are placed next to each other.  What will happen to the energy

• Energy will move from the hot object to the cold object
• Energy will move from the cold object to the hot object
• Heat will not transfer between the objects
• The hot object will increase in temperature.

If a ceramic cup is placed on top of a lit stove, it will gradually heat up. What is the mode of heat transfer from the stove to the ceramic cup?

• radiation
• convection
• conduction
• sublimation

The Rumford fireplace is tall and not very deep. This improves the fireplace’s ability to reflect heat into the room. This would increase the fireplace’s ability to transfer energy through…

• radiation
• convection
• conduction
• sublimation

An open pot of water is heated on the stove. As water boils, the molecules 

• move slower and closer together 
• move faster and farther apart   
• get larger 
• get smaller 

The SI unit for measuring heat is the 

• pascal
• newton
• Joule
• calorie

When an ice cube melts in your hand...

• Thermal energy is transferred from the ice cube to your hand.
• Thermal energy is transferred from your hand to the ice cube.

The temperature of a glass of cold water will eventually...

• Match the temperature of the surrounding environment.
• Always be colder than the surrounding environment.
• Become warmer than the surrounding environment.
• Never change temperature.

Use the data below to identify which material needs the most energy to change its temperature?
Water        4.184 J/g⁰C
Aluminum  0.900 J/g⁰C
Air             1.020 J/g⁰C 
Brass        0.380 J/g⁰C

• Water
• Aluminum
• Air
• Brass