Heat Study Guide
What is heat?
• Heat is the transfer of
energy from a warm
object to a cold object.
What are the three temperature scales
and who uses them?
• Fahrenheit (used mostly
in United States)
• Celsius (used mostly in
science classrooms and in
Europe – easy to convert)
• Kelvin (is the official
Scientific International
temperature scale for
laboratories world wide)
What makes a good insulator and what
makes a good conductor?
• Conductors transfer heat
very quickly. Examples
(curling iron, iron pots,
cookie sheets, copper
pipes, stove coils)
• Insulators transfer heat
very slowly so they can
either keep heat in or
keep heat out.
Examples(flannel shirt,
oven mitts, plastic
spoons, fiberglass
insulation,
coolers/thermos)
How do thermometers work?
• Hot things expand so
the liquid in the
thermometer (usually
alcohol) goes up when
you warm it up.
• Cold things contract so
the liquid in the
thermometer goes
down when you cool it
off.
What is absolute zero?
• The lowest temperature
possible is 0 K. It means
all molecules stop
moving. It has never
been reached!
What are the differences between
conduction, convection, & radiation?
• Conduction is the type
of heat transfer that
requires direct contact
between objects.
• Shaking hands, licking
an ice cream cone, a
metal spoon in a hot
bowl of soup, frying an
egg.
What are the differences between
conduction, convection, & radiation?
• Convection is the
circulation of heat in a
liquid or gas.
• Pictures will usually
show arrows!!
• Heating your house, hot
air balloons, wind &
ocean currents.
What are the differences between
conduction, convection, & radiation?
• Radiation is the transfer
of heat through open
space. It is the reason
our planet survives!
• Sun, lamps, radiators,
microwaves, fire.
Does heat depend on mass? Why or
Why not?
• Heat depends on mass
because it varies with
the amount of energy
that is transferred.
• Temperature does NOT
depend on mass. A
drop of boiling water is
the same temperature
as a pot of boiling
water.
How is it possible for the sun to warm
the planets?
• The sun radiates its light
and heat so it can travel
outward in all directions
through space. It does
not need air to travel!
How does a lava lamp work?
• The base of the lamp
heats the material. As it
gets hotter the bubbles
rise to the top (less
density). When they
cool off they sink back
down to the bottom
(more density).
What is the difference between
temperature and heat?
• Heat is the transfer of
thermal energy from a
warm object to a cold
object.
• Temperature is the
measurement of the
thermal energy in an
object.