Conduction, convection, and
radiation
Measures of success:
▢ I can recognise and name typical good and bad thermal conductors
▢ I can describe experiments to demonstrate the properties of good
and bad thermal conductors
▢ I can explain conduction in solids in terms of molecular vibrations
and transfer by electrons
▢ I can recognise convection as the main method of energy transfer in
fluids
▢ I can relate convection in fluids to density changes
▢ I can interpret and describe experiments designed to illustrate
convection in liquids and gases (fluids)
▢ I can recognise radiation as the method of energy transfer that does
not require a medium to travel through
▢ I can identify infra-red radiation as the part of the electromagnetic
spectrum often involved in energy transfer by radiation
▢ I can describe the effect of surface colour (black or white) and
texture (dull or shiny) on the emission, absorption and reflection of
radiation
▢ I can interpret and describe experiments to investigate the
properties of good and bad emitters and good and bad absorbers of
infrared radiation
P3.5 Thermal processes
Thermal, or heat energy, can be transferred in three
ways; ________, _________, and ________.
Thermal energy is transferred from ______ places
to ______ places.
P3.5.1 Conduction
_________ in a solid are always vibrating. If the
solid gets hotter, the particles vibrate ____. Solids
are better at conducting heat than _______ and
_____ because their particles are closer together. If
the particles are too spaced out it makes it
_________ for the energy to pass along from
particle to particle.
Having said that, some solids conduct heat more
than others. The best conductors are ______
because ……………………………………………………....
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Materials that do not conduct heat well are known
as __________.
Describe an experiment which demonstrates the
properties of good and bad thermal conductors.
Describe:
What to do.
What data to collect.
How to interpret the data.
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P3.5.2 Convection
This heat transfer can only happen in fluids
(_______ and _____). When a fluid is ______ the
particles gain _______ ______ and so move away
from each other. This causes them to become less
_____ so they rise. The cold particles have less
energy and so are ______ together. This makes
them more _____ so they ____. This movement of
hot and cold particles sets up a __________
_______.
Describe an experiment which illustrates convection
in liquids. You should include a neat diagram.
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Describe an experiment which illustrates convection
in gases. You should include a neat diagram.
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Describe how convection currents help a fridge
keep all the food cool.
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Explain in terms of convection currents why putting
the heating element at the top of the kettle will not
work well. You may draw a diagram to illustrate your
point.
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P3.5.3 Radiation
Thermal energy can also
be transferred as
________ waves.
These are part of the
e______________
s_______ and travel at
the same speed as visible
light.
Particles are not required for radiation and so it can
travel through a ______. Which is how thermal
energy gets to Earth from ___ ___.
Matt black surfaces are good _________ and
________ of thermal radiation.
Light shiny surfaces are poor _________ and
________ of thermal radiation, they _______ it
instead.
Emission experiment:
Four containers were filled with warm water. Which
container would have the warmest water after ten
minutes and why?
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Which type of kettle would dissipate the most
thermal energy to its surroundings: a black kettle or
a shiny metallic kettle? Why?
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Absorption experiment:
Four containers were placed equidistant from a
radiative heater, which container would have the
warmest water after ten minutes and why?
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Why are solar panels that are used for heating water
covered in a black outer layer?
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