Lesson 2.1: Heat, Temperature, and Conduction
Accompanying Lesson Plan: Lesson 2.1: Heat, Temperature, and Conduction
Video
Room Temperature Washers in Hot Water
- When room-temperature washers are placed in hot water, the temperature of the washers increases and the temperature of the water decreases.
- Energy from the water is transferred to the washers.
Video
Hot Washers in Room-Temperature Water
- When hot washers are placed in room-temperature water, the temperature of the washers decreases and the temperature of the water increases.
- Energy from the washers is transferred to the water.
Interactive
Heated Spoon
- Molecules in the hot water are moving faster than the atoms in the spoon. Faster-moving water molecules strike the atoms of the spoon, transferring some of their energy to them.
- The atoms in the spoon move faster (increasing temperature) and the molecules in the water move slower (decreasing temperature).
- When fast-moving atoms or molecules hit slower-moving atoms or molecules and increase their speed, heat is transferred. This process is called conduction.
Interactive
Cooled Spoon
- The atoms in the hot spoon are moving faster than the water molecules.
- Faster-moving atoms in the spoon strike the water molecules, transferring some of their energy to them.
- The atoms in the spoon move slower (decreasing temperature) and the water molecules move faster (increasing temperature).
- When fast-moving atoms or molecules hit slower-moving atoms or molecules and increase their speed, heat is transferred. This process is called conduction.
Interactive
Temperature
- At any temperature, the particles (atoms and molecules) of a substance, in this case a gas, move at different speeds. If energy is added by heating, the particles move faster. If energy is removed by cooling, the particles move more slowly.
- Any moving object, no matter how big or small, and no matter how slow or fast, has kinetic energy. Therefore, the moving particles of a gas, or any substance, all have kinetic energy.
- The temperature of a substance is the average of the different kinetic energies of its atoms or molecules.
To Use the “Temperature” Simulation:
- From the Title Screen, click the “Play” arrow.
- Then click on “Room Temp”.
- Then click the “Play” arrow again.
- Click the “Pause” button to show that at a given temperature, most particles are moving at similar speeds, but some are moving faster or slower.
- Repeat steps 2-5 for “Cold” and “Hot”.
Interactive
Conducting Energy
- The molecules in your finger are moving faster than the molecules in the room-temperature metal. But because metal is a good conductor, the heat from your finger is transferred to the metal. This decreases the motion of the molecules in your skin and makes your skin feel colder.
- The molecules in your finger are moving faster than the molecules in the room-temperature cardboard. But because cardboard is a poor conductor, the heat energy from your finger is barely transferred to the cardboard. Since the motion of molecules in your skin stays about the same, your skin feels normal.