Vocabulary
This term refers to the transfer of thermal energy due to a temperature difference.
What is heat?
This type of heat transfer happens when particles collide directly.
What is conduction?
The freezing point of water in Celsius.
What is 0°C?
The phase change from liquid to gas below boiling point.
What is evaporation?
The substance known for having an unusually high specific heat.
What is water?
State the heat equation used for temperature change calculations.
What is q = mcΔT?
This describes how fast particles are moving in a substance.
What is temperature?
Heat transfer caused by the movement of fluids due to density differences.
What is convection?
The boiling point of water in Fahrenheit.
What is 212°F?
The phase change that releases energy to the surroundings when gas becomes liquid.
What is condensation?
What does a high specific heat imply about temperature change?
Temperature changes slowly.
Identify the variable that represents mass in the heat equation.
What is m?
The energy required for a substance to change phase without changing temperature is called this.
What is latent heat?
This type of heat transfer does not require matter and can travel through space.
What is radiation?
The freezing point of water in Kelvin.
What is 273 K?
What happens to particle motion during melting even though temperature stays constant?
Energy breaks intermolecular attractions.
Why do coastal regions experience smaller temperature swings than inland areas?
Water absorbs and releases large amounts of energy.
Why does it take more energy to raise the temperature of water than metal by 1°C?
Water has a higher specific heat.
A material that allows heat to move easily through it, such as metal.
What is a conductor?
Why does hot air rise during convection?
Because it is less dense than cold air.
Which temperature scale is based on absolute zero?
What is Kelvin?
Why does temperature remain constant during a phase change?
Energy is used to change particle arrangement, not kinetic energy.
Explain why sand heats up faster than water during the day.
Sand has a lower specific heat.
A substance absorbs energy but its temperature does not change. What process is occurring?
A phase change involving latent heat
Explain the difference between heat and temperature at the particle level.
Heat is energy transfer; temperature measures average particle kinetic energy.
Explain why convection currents form in Earth’s atmosphere or oceans.
Uneven heating creates density differences that drive fluid motion.
Which scale is most commonly used in scientific calculations?
What is Kelvin?
Compare the energy required for melting versus vaporization of water.
Vaporization requires significantly more energy due to complete particle separation.
How does water’s specific heat contribute to Earth’s energy balance and climate stability?
It moderates temperature changes by storing thermal energy.
A 200 g aluminum block absorbs 3,600 J of energy. The specific heat of aluminum is 0.90 J/g·°C. What is the temperature change?
ΔT = 20°C