Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                

Earth Science Student Book - CPO Focus On-87-93

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 7

Chapter 4

Heat
Have you ever seen a hot air balloon float high above Earth’s
surface? What about a hang glider or a soaring bird of prey
like a hawk? Each of these objects—a hot air balloon, a hang
glider, and a hawk—take advantage of heat to “fly.” In this
chapter, you will learn about heat and temperature and how
they affect natural events and human activities.

1. What is the difference between heat and


temperature?

2. Why does an ice cube melt in your hand?

3. Does the Sun help a hawk to fly?


4.1 What Is Heat?
What happens to an ice cube when you hold it in your hand? The ice melts because molecule - a group of atoms.
heat flows from your hand to the ice cube. We’ve all experienced the effects of heat,
kinetic energy - energy of
but what exactly is heat? motion.
Atoms and molecules
Particles of Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms that are too small to
matter move see with your eyes or even with a magnifying glass (Figure 4.1). In
constantly most matter, atoms occur in a group called a molecule. Atoms and
molecules move constantly. The molecules of the water you drink
and the air you breathe are moving. Molecules in an ice cube are
moving. All of the atoms of your body are moving constantly, too—
even when you are asleep!
Kinetic energy Imagine what it would be like to live in an atom-sized world. If you
were suddenly shrunk to the size of an atom, you would be pushed
and shoved by all the atoms and molecules around you. Watch out!
Atoms and molecules whiz by at amazingly fast speeds! The
constant motion of atoms is a form of energy. The energy of motion
is called kinetic energy. Faster atoms have more kinetic energy
than slower atoms.

Figure 4.1: The thickness of a sheet


of aluminum foil is about 200,000 atoms
across. Important note: Atoms are too
small to see with your eyes or a
magnifying glass!

76 UNIT 2 ENERGY IN EARTH’S SYSTEMS


CHAPTER 4: HEAT

Heat and temperature


What is heat? Heat is a form of energy caused by the motion of atoms and
molecules.* Heat is the sum of the kinetic energy of each atom heat - a form of energy caused by
in a sample. This means that a bucket of hot water has more heat the motion of atoms and
molecules.
energy than a cup of hot water. The bucket contains more hot
water molecules than the cup. More molecules means more temperature - a measure of the
motion and more heat energy. average speed of a sample
containing lots of atoms.
What is Temperature is related to heat, but it isn’t the same thing.
temperature? Temperature is a measure of the average speed of atoms in a
sample. The average speed of the atoms in a hot object is fast.
The average speed in a cold object is slow (Figure 4.2).
What is your Sometimes when you are sick, your forehead feels very warm and a
temperature? thermometer might show a temperature of 100°F or more. The
normal temperature for the human body is 98.6°F. A thermometer
measures the average kinetic energy of the atoms in your body.

Figure 4.2: The average speed of


atoms in a hot object is fast. The average
speed of atoms in a cold object is slow.

* Footnote: This definition of heat was adapted to be appropriate for the level and content of this text.

4.1 WHAT IS HEAT?


77
Summary of heat and temperature
An example If you wanted to warm up a swimming pool of water you need heat
energy. Here are two methods for warming the water. Which When two equal volumes of water
method is the best? are mixed, the final temperature of
the mixture is halfway between the
• Warm the water with a teacup of water at 100°C, or two original temperatures.
• Warm the water with a bucket of water at 50°C This is because molecules collide
and exchange energy. Fast
The water in the teacup has a higher temperature, but there are molecules slow down while the
fewer molecules than in the bucket of water. This means that the slow ones speed up. Eventually, all
teacup water has less heat energy than the water in the bucket. the molecules are going at about
the same speed.
Even though the teacup has a higher temperature, the bucket is a
Use this information to solve this
better choice for warming the pool water because it contains more
problem:
total heat energy!
A cup of water at 20°C is mixed
The best method for warming the water in the pool is to add the with a second cup of 80°C water.
bucket of water at 50°C. Both cups have the same amount
of water. What will the temperature
of the final mixture be?

78 UNIT 2 ENERGY IN EARTH’S SYSTEMS


CHAPTER 4: HEAT

Heat is a form of energy


From warmer to Heat, as a form of energy, can be transferred from one object to
cooler objects another. Heat moves from warmer to cooler objects. For example,
if Michelle accidentally touches a hot dinner plate, heat from the
plate moves to her cooler finger. Fast-moving atoms of the plate
push against the slower atoms of her finger. As a result, the nerves
in her finger send a warning message to her brain. Her brain sends 1. Place an ice cube in a plastic
sandwich bag and seal the bag
a message to the hand to pull away from the plate as quickly as
tightly. What happens to the ice
possible. If Michelle didn’t remove her finger from the plate, she cube when you let it sit on the
might get burned! table (in the bag)?

2. Sketch a “before” and “after”


picture in your journal. Record the
time it took for the ice cube to melt.

3. What could you have done to


shorten the melting time? List all
possibilities.

Fortunately, the hot dinner plate will not stay too hot forever.
Eventually, as heat from the plate transfers to the cooler air
around it, the plate cools down to the temperature of the room.
Usable energy Michelle will eat the spaghetti on her plate to get energy to do her
and heat homework. Some of that energy will be used by Michelle to do her
homework. Some of that energy will become heat and Michelle
cannot get back the lost heat. To get more energy, she needs to eat
more food!

4.1 WHAT IS HEAT?


79
Energy flow and heat loss
Heat and light The source of energy for a light bulb is electricity. A light bulb
bulbs produces energy in the form of light. The light bulb might feel hot power plant - a place where
to the touch after it has been lit for awhile. This is because only 2% electricity is generated.
of the energy produced by a regular (or incandescent) light bulb is
light energy and 98% of the energy produced is heat energy. Only
a small amount of the energy produced by the bulb is useful for
brightening a room (Figure 4.3).
Heat and cars The source of energy for a car is gasoline. For most cars, about
20% of the gasoline burned by the engine is used to move the car.
Eighty percent of the energy from the gasoline is given off as heat
energy (Figure 4.4).
Heat and fuels Like a light bulb or a car, a power plant loses some of the energy
it produces as heat. A power plant is a place where electricity is
generated. Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas are common
sources of energy for power plants. The first step of producing
electricity involves burning the fossil fuels to boil water. The
resulting steam turns a turbine. The turbine converts the energy Figure 4.3: Most of the energy used
by a light bulb becomes heat energy.
from the steam into energy that turns a generator. The generator
then converts this kinetic energy into electricity. The electricity is
carried to your house by wires. Some heat is lost at each step in
the process of converting fuel energy into useful electricity.

Figure 4.4: Most of the energy from


gasoline becomes heat energy.

80 UNIT 2 ENERGY IN EARTH’S SYSTEMS


CHAPTER 4: HEAT

4.1 Section Review


Student Speed (cm/s)
1. What are atoms and molecules? Alice 100 cm/s
2. Relate the amount of kinetic energy to the speed of atoms. Bernard 150 cm/s
3. Fill in the blank. Faster atoms have _____ (more/less) kinetic Chloe 50 cm/s
energy than slower atoms. Dev 75 cm/s
4. Figure 4.5 lists the speeds of students running in a gymnasium. Eduardo 125 cm/s
Find the average speed of the students by adding the speeds AVERAGE
and dividing by five. If the group of students represents a group (sum of five
of atoms, what does their average speed represent? speeds ÷ 5)
5. What is the difference between heat and temperature?
Figure 4.5: The speeds of five
6. Will 1 liter of hot water have more or less heat energy than students running in a gymnasium.
2 liters of hot water? Explain your answer.
7. In which direction is heat transferred—from warm to cool or
from cool to warm?
8. You mix 100 milliliters of 10°C water and 100 milliliters of Compare and contrast this
hydroelectric power plant with a
90°C water. What is the final temperature of the mixture?
fossil fuel burning power plant.
9. What kind of energy is used to keep a light bulb lit?
10. Name three fossil fuels that are used as the source of energy at
many power plants.
11. Describe the process by which electricity is made at a power
plant that uses fossil fuels.
12. In a light bulb, car, and power plant, what type of energy is
lost?
13. Research the answers to the following questions using your
school library or the Internet. In terms of energy produced:
a. What is the main difference between an incandescent light
bulb and a compact fluorescent light bulb?
b. What is the main difference between gasoline-powered and
electric hybrid cars?

4.1 WHAT IS HEAT?


81

You might also like