Topic 3: Thermal physics Flashcards
Define: temperature (2)
A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles within a substance of an object.
Define: thermal contact
Two objects are in thermal contact if it is possible for thermal energy to be transferred directly from one object to the other as a result of the temperature difference.
Define: heat/thermal energy
- The energy transfer that results when two objects are in thermal contact with each other; flows from hot to cold; temperature difference between the two objects will determine the direction of the natural transfer of thermal energy
- Heat is the non-mechanical transfer of energy between a system and its surroundings.
Explain the concept of thermal equilibrium.
- The net transfer of thermal energy is always from the object with the highest temperature to the object with the lowest temperature. Therefore, the hottest object will cool down and the coolest object will warm up until they both reach the same temperature. At this point, the two objects are said to be in thermal equilibrium
* If two objects are in thermal contact and are both at the same temperature, it does not mean that no thermal energy is being transferred from one object to the other, but that there is no overall transfer of energy. The objects must be in thermal equilibrium.
State the relationship between the Kelvin and Celsius scales of temperature
temperature in Kelvin = temperature in ºC +273 temperature in ºC = temperature in Kelvin -273
Define: internal energy
The total potential energy and kinetic energy of the molecules/atoms/particles OR the amount of energy stored in a substance.
Macroscopic concept of internal energy.
Sum of its molecular kinetic and potential energies. Molecules have kinetic energy due to their motion, both vibrational and translational. Molecules have potential energy due to the intermolecular forces.
Macroscopic concept of heat/thermal energy.
The transfer or change in thermal energy that is due only to a difference of temperature
What can adding energy to a substance result in?
- increase in temperature (KE increases)
- change in state (PE increases)
- energy loss by the substance at an equal rate (thermal equilibrium)
- chemical change (burn, decompose, etc.)
What does the rate of temperature change depend on?
- the rate at which net energy is added
- the mass of a substance
- the specific heat capacity of a substance
What does the rate at which state can change depend on?
- the rate at which net energy is added
- the specific latent heat of fusion/vaporisation of the substance
Define: kinetic theory
Molecules are arranged in different ways depending on the phase of the substance (solid/liquid/gas)
Define: conduction
- Two solids of different temperatures come in contact with one another, thermal
energy is transferred from the hotter object to the cooler object *sometimes fluid; requires matter; metals are good conductors of heat as they contain free electrons that assist the passage of heat through the substance.
Define: convection
A fluid is heated causing the movement of groups of atoms or molecules due to
variations in density
Define: radiation
All bodies (objects), no matter what temperature, emit a spectrum of thermal radiation in the form of electromagnetic waves
*This radiation can then be absorbed by another body, whose internal energy would then increase. Is most effective in a vacuum
Define: mole
The amount of a substance that contains as many elementary entities as the number of atoms in 12 g of the isotope carbon-12.
Define: molar mass
The mass of one mole of a substance. If an element has a certain mass number, A, then the molar mass will be A grams.
Define: Avogadro constant
The number of atoms/particles in 12g of carbon-12
Define: specific heat capacity
The energy required to increase 1 kg of a substance by 1 K.
What is the defining equation for specific heat capacity?
c = Q/(mΔT)
Why do different substances have different specific heat capacities?
- Different # of molecules per kilogram
- Different chemical bonding properties
Define: thermal capacity
Energy required to raise an object’s temperature by 1 K.
Symbol for thermal capacity
mc
Standard index measurement for thermal capacity
J K-1
Standard index measurement for specific heat capacity
J kg-1 K-1
Describe and explain the process of phase changes in terms of molecular behaviour
During a change,thermal energy is transferred to or from a substance
This energy transfer does not change the temperature of the substance undergoing the phase change
The thermal energy provided (or removed) does not affect the kinetic energy of the molecules within the substance, only the potential energy (i.e.the spacing between the atoms or molecules)
What happens to the temperature of a substance when it changes phase?
The temperature remains constant even though thermal energy is still being transferred.
Distinguish between evaporation and boiling
Evaporation
- A process in which a substance changes state from liquid to gas without boiling
- Slow
- No bubbles formed
- Takes place only at the exposed surface
- Occurs at all temperatures
- Energy supplied by surroundings
- A liquid evaporates continuously
Boiling
- A process in which a substance changes state from liquid to gas
- Fast
- Bubbles are formed
- Occurs throughout the liquid
- Occurs at a definite temperature; the boiling point
- Energy supplied by a source
What does the rate of evaporation depend on?
- the temperature of the liquid
- the temperature of the surroundings
- the amount of vapour already in the surroundings (if the gas above the liquid is saturated with vapour, no further net evaporation can take place – equilibrium is reached – rate of evaporation = rate of condensation)
- the surface area of the liquid
- the nature of the liquid