May 15
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy can be converted from one form to another with the interaction of heat, work and internal energy, but it cannot be created nor destroyed, under any circumstances.
Internal Energy: Internal energy is defined as the total energy of a closed system. There are 2 types of internal energies – potential and kinetic.
The internal energy of an object can be changed by heating it or doing work on it.
Kinetic Energy: Kinetic energy is energy of motion. If work is done on an object by applying a force , the object speeds up and thereby gains kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is a property of a moving object or particle and depends not only on its motion but also on it’s mass.
Heat: Heat is the same as thermal energy. It is defined as the thermal energy that is transferred from one body to another as a result of a change in temperature. Heat transfers from an object that is hotter to one that is cooler. The faster the kinetic energy of an object, the warmer it will be. There are 3 types of heat transfer – conduction, convection, and radiation.
Conduction – Heat transfer through contact
Convection – Heat transfer through movement without contact
Radiation – Heat transfer without contact
Temperature: Temperature is defined as the measure of the average kinetic energy acting on an object. The hotter the temperature, the higher the average speed of the particles.
The temperature unit most commonly used is the Kelvin (K). Like other temperature scales, the freezing and boiling points of water are factors in establishing the scale’s range. There are 100 degrees between the temperature at which water freezes at (273.16 K) and boils (373.16 K). Each unit on this scale is equal to a degree on the Celsius scale. There are no negative numbers on the Kelvin scale, as the lowest number is 0 K.
After unit reflection: In this post, I demonstrated a thorough understanding of thermal energy and the transfer of thermal energy (heat). I identified what heat was first by using a mind map, and then by writing a proper detailed paragraph describing heat. I also described the thee methods of heat transfer – conduction, convection and radiation, and also related heat to temperature.
After Unit Reflection: In this post, I demonstrated an understanding of kinetic energy. I described and explained what kinetic energy was and what does it mean, and I also related it back to heat and temperature, such as stating the fact that the higher the temperature, the higher the kinetic energy.
Energy E Blog 