Heat energy can be transferred by radiation, conduction or
convection Thermal radiation is the transfer of heat energy by electromagnetic waves Conduction and convection involves the transfer of energy by particles Conduction is the main form of heat transfer in solids Convection is the main form of heat transfer in liquids and gases Emission of thermal radiation occurs in solids, liquids and gases. Any object can both absorb and emit heat radiation, whether or not conduction or convection are also taking place The bigger the temperature difference, the faster heat is transferred between a body and its surroundings
Thermal radiation In a parked car
Heat radiation can also be called infrared radiation and it
consists of electromagnetic waves of a certain range of frequencies All objects are continually emitting and absorbing heat radiation An object thats hotter than its surroundings emits more radiation than it absorbs An object that is cooler than its surroundings absorbs more radiation than it emits
Conduction A metal pot with boiling water
In a solid, the particles are tightly held together. When one
particle vibrates, it collides with other nearby particles and the vibrations quickly pass from particle to particle This process continues throughout the solid and gradually some of the extra kinetic energy (heat) is passed all the way through the solid, causing a rise in temperature at the other side of the solid. And hence an increase in heat radiating from its surface Conduction of heat is the process where vibrating particles pass on their extra kinetic energy to neighboring particles
Convection kettle, hot water tanks
Gases and liquids are usually free to move about which
allows them to transfer heat by convection
Convection occurs when the more energetic
particles move from the hotter region to the cooler region and take the heat energy with them This is how immersion heaters work:
1. Heat energy is transferred from the heater coils to
the water by conduction 2. The particles near the coils get more energy so they start moving around faster 3. This means there is more distance between them, i.e. the water expands and becomes less dens 4. This reduction in density means the hotter water tends to rise above the denser, cooler water 5. As the hot water rises it displaces the colder water out of the way making it sink towards the heater coils 6. This cold water is then heated by coils and rises the process goes on and on. You end up with convection currents *Convection works best in round/square containers *Convection currents are changes in density Insulation in humans and homes
In the cold, the hairs on your skin stand up to trap a
thicker layer of insulating air around the body. This limits the amount of heat loss by convection Humans wear clothes to reduce heat transfer. The pockets of air trapped in clothes and between layers mainly reduce heat transfer by conduction and convection because air is an insulator Clothes also reduce heat loss by radiation from the body as the material absorbs some heat radiated out by our bodies Cavity wall insulation: foam squirted into the gap between the bricks stops convection currents being set up in the gap and radiation across the gap. The insulating foam and the air pockets trapped in it also helps reduce heat loss by conduction
Double glazing: two layers of glass with a narrow air
(insulator) gap which reduces conduction and convection Draught-proofing: strips of foam and plastic around doors and windows stop draughts of cold air blowing in. this reduces heat loss due to convection