Heat

Heat (abbreviated Q, also called heat change) is the transfer of thermal energy between two bodies which are at different temperatures. The SI unit for heat is the joule.

Heat transfer mechanisms

As mentioned previously, heat tends to move from a high temperature region to a low temperature region. This heat transfer may occur by the mechanisms conduction, and radiation. The term convection is used to describe the combined effects of conduction and fluid flow. In the past, this has been regarded as a third mechanism of heat transfer, but, logically, it is not a mechanism of its own.

Related Topics:
Conduction - Radiation - Convection

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Conduction

Conduction is the most common means of heat transfer in a solid. On a microscopic scale, conduction occurs as hot, rapidly moving or vibrating atoms and molecules interact with neighboring atoms and molecules, transferring some of their energy (heat) to these neighboring atoms.

Related Topics:
Conduction - Molecule

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In insulators the heat current is carried almost entirely by phonon vibrations.

Related Topics:
Insulators - Phonon

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The "electron fluid" of a conductive metallic solid conducts nearly all of the heat current through the solid. (Phonon currents are still there, but carry less than 1% of the energy.) Electrons also conduct electric current through conductive solids, and the thermal and electrical conductivities of most metals have about the same ratio. A good electrical conductor, such as copper, usually also conducts heat well.

Related Topics:
Conductive - Electric current - Thermal - Electrical conductivities - Metal - Copper

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The Peltier-Seebeck effect exhibits the propensity of electrons to conduct heat through an electrically conductive solid. Thermoelectricity is caused by the relationship between electrons, heat currents and electrical currents.

Related Topics:
Peltier-Seebeck effect - Thermoelectricity

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Convection

Convection is usually the dominant form of heat transfer in liquids and gases. This is a term used to characterize the combined effects of conduction and fluid flow. In convection, enthalpy transfer occurs by the movement of hot or cold portions of the fluid together with heat transfer by conduction. For example, when water is heated on a stove, hot water from the bottom of the pan rises, heating the water at the top of the pan. Two types of convection are commonly distinguished, free convection, in which gravity and buoyancy forces drive the fluid movement, and forced convection, where a fan, stirrer, or other means is used to move the fluid. Buoyant convection is due to the effects of gravity, and absent in microgravity environments.

Related Topics:
Convection - Enthalpy - Buoyant - Microgravity

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Radiation

Radiation is a means of heat transfer. Radiative heat transfer is the only form of heat transfer that can occur in the absence of any form of medium and as such is the only means of heat transfer through a vacuum. Thermal radiation is a direct result of the movements of atoms and molecules in a material. Since these atoms and molecules are composed of charged particles (protons and electrons), their movements result in the emission of electromagnetic radiation, which carries energy away from the surface. At the same time, the surface is constantly bombarded by radiation from the surroundings, resulting in the transfer of energy to the surface. Since the amount of emitted radiation increases with increasing temperature, a net transfer of energy from higher temperatures to lower temperatures results.

Related Topics:
Radiation - Vacuum - Proton - Electron - Electromagnetic radiation

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For room temperature objects (~300 K), the majority of photons emitted (and involved in radiative heat transfer) are in the infrared spectrum, but this is by no means the only frequency range involved in radiation. The frequencies emitted are partially related to black-body radiation. Hotter objects—a campfire is around 700 K, for instance—transfer heat in the visible spectrum or beyond. Whenever EM radiation is emitted and then absorbed, heat is transferred. This principle is used in microwave ovens, laser cutting, and RF hair removal.

Related Topics:
Infrared - Black-body radiation - Microwave oven - Laser cutting - RF hair removal

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