What is Thermal energy: Definition and 205 Discussions

The term 'thermal energy' is used differently, and often loosely, in different contexts. It refers to several distinct physical concepts, such as the internal energy, or as the enthalpy, of a body of matter and radiation; or as heat, defined as a type of energy transfer (as is thermodynamic work); or as the characteristic energy of a degree of freedom,




k


B



T


{\displaystyle k_{\mathrm {B} }T}
, in a system that is described in terms of its microscopic particulate constituents, where



T


{\displaystyle T}
denotes temperature and




k


B





{\displaystyle k_{\mathrm {B} }}
denotes the Boltzmann constant.

View More On Wikipedia.org
  1. C

    Problem Relating Temperature and Thermal Energy

    Homework Statement An ideal gas is at 40°C. The gas is cooled, reducing the thermal energy by 35%. What is the new temperature in °C?Homework Equations I'm not sure there is one? The Attempt at a Solution Since, in an ideal gas, thermal energy is proportional to temperature, I multiplied 40°C...
  2. B

    Thermal Energy problem - Ice placed in water

    Homework Statement An ice cube at its freezing point is placed in nested Styrofoam cups which contain 240g of water at 21.5 degrees C. If the final equilibrium temperature when the last trace of ice melts is 15 degrees C, what was the mass of the ice cube? Homework Equations mCΔt = -mCΔt...
  3. T

    Calculating thermal energy released when aluminum cools an solidifies

    Homework Statement While forming a 1.5kg aluminum statue, a metal smith heats the aluminum to 2700 degrees C, pours it into a mould, and then cools it to a room temperature of 23.0 degrees C. Calculate the thermal energy released by the aluminum during the process. Homework Equations Q =...
  4. M

    Gas heated under constant pressure - thermal energy transferred?

    Homework Statement A 1.0 sample of nitrogen gas (diatomic)is heated at constant pressure from 300K to 420K, Cp (nitrogen) = 29.1 Jmol-1°C-1 The thermal energy transferred to the gas is? 1. 8370 J 2. 12,200 J 3. 34.90 J 4. 3590 J 5. 12.20 J Homework Equations KE = 1/2mv2 =...
  5. N

    Transforming kinetic energy into thermal energy

    Homework Statement Two cars collide head on while each is traveling at 80 km/h. Suppose all their kinetic energy is transformed into the thermal energy of the wrecks. What is the temperature increase of each car? You can assume that each car's specific heat is that of iron. Homework Equations...
  6. T

    What has thermal energy but not heat? (and vice versa)

    This isn't homework, so i thought it could go here. 1) What has thermal energy but not heat? 2) What has heat but not thermal energy 3) What effects angular momentum?
  7. DaveC426913

    Heat energy and thermal energy

    My editor friend is questioning the following passage in a book. Does this sound right? In particular, they seem to be making a distinction between "heat energy" and "thermal energy".
  8. T

    Calculating Thermal Energy from Passive Solar Heater

    This is for a physics finals project. So it's not really a homework question. But I didn't know where else to post it and I need immediate help. I have made a passive solar heater out of pop cans and I need to find out how much energy (thermal) is produced. I know the equation for thermal...
  9. S

    Very basic questions regarding thermal energy and radiation.

    So we were studying about different types of heat transfers, conduction, convection, and finally we learned about radiation, it was sort of confusing, so I am going to write stuff, and hopefully someone can see what i wrote and see if its correct. basically the book says 'Radiation...
  10. T

    Defining Thermal Energy: Understanding the Concept and Its Various Forms

    How would someone define thermal energy? My view is that it is the internal energy of the object e.g potential and kinetic energy. But from what I understand it can also be the energy transferred from one object to another, this is where I get confused. Dose the term thermal energy aka heat...
  11. W

    Programs Which Engineering Major Is Best for a Career in Thermal Energy?

    Hello, My apologies for making my first post a question but I was wondering if anyone could suggest an engineering degree which would be most suitable for a career with energy, specifically thermal energy and external combustion systems. I was technically a junior and had to take an session...
  12. F

    Convert kinetic energy into thermal energy

    Hi, I need a way to convert kinetic energy into thermal energy as well as the specific heat of the entire Earth's atmosphere. The idea is to see if the heat generated by many meteoroid fragments could possibly account for any climate change. Thanks.
  13. K

    What is the difference between heat and thermal energy?

    Postulate a parcel of air within the larger atmosphere. The air above the parcel is cooler than the parcel, while the air below it is warmer. The parcel is emitting photons to both the overlying and the underlying layers of air and simultaneously absorbing photons from both layers. Both sets...
  14. F

    How much thermal energy it takes to raise the temperature

    It's not really homework, it's more of my own testing of a hypothesis, but I don't really know where else to put it. I need a way to convert kinetic energy directly to thermal energy as find out how much thermal energy it takes to raise the temperature of the atmosphere 1 degree, or I guess...
  15. A

    Where does the (5/2) come from in calculating thermal energy of diatomic gas

    So I am doing a second year thermodynamics course and would like to know. Do we just have to remember (5/2)PV for a diatomic gas, why is it 5/2 and also what is it for a monatomic gas. Also would we have to remember more complex ratios for exams? Cheers
  16. D

    Thermal energy to be dissipated in an hour

    Homework Statement During the game, the metabolism of basketball players often increases by as much as 30.0 W. How much perspiration must a player vaporize per hour to dissipate this extra thermal energy? Assume that perspiration is simply pure water and that perspiration starts at...
  17. S

    Is work done by friction the same as thermal energy?

    Homework Statement I ask this because my initial assumption was that work done by a non-conservative force (friction in this case) is also equal to thermal energy. However, in my book, it gave an equation with W = Emec + E thermal. They also had an example where they added up the work and...
  18. C

    Does an object lose thermal energy due to gravity alone

    If I have an object say a 1kg lump of metal. it is at a temperature of say 20c. I then take that object and raise it and place it on a shelf, does it lose any thermal energy due to the new height, In other words does it cool down for no other reason than being raised to a different elevation...
  19. C

    Thermal Energy Transfer: A Gas Heated at Constant Volume and Pressure

    A quartz tube contains one mom of gAs at 20 deg c. The gas is heated at constant volume to 300 deg c. How much thermal energy is transferred to the gas? If the same amount were heated at constant pressure, how muh energy would be required? I know how to solve this for constant volume using E=...
  20. L

    Calorimetry: Thermal energy going into translational KE

    Homework Statement Suppose a cup of boiling water (m=250g) instantaneously cools to room temperature (25°C) with the liberated thermal energy going into translational KE. How fast will the cup fly off the table? Assume the water molecules have 18 degrees of freedom. Homework Equations...
  21. C

    Does steam rising in an insulated tube lose thermal energy

    I want to propose an interesting thought experiment, but don't want to A/ make a bigger fool of myself than I normally do B/ well that's about it really The premise behind my experiment is that rising steam does not lose thermal energy if we ignore thermal losses both radiative and conductive...
  22. B

    Thermal Energy vs Heat: Understand the Difference

    According to my textbook... Thermal energy is the kinetic energy of the component particles of an object and is measured in joules. Heat is the thermal energy that is absorbed, given up or transferred from one object to another. But later on the book there is a small chapter called...
  23. X

    Questions about kinetic energy, thermal energy and momentum

    Hello, kinetic energy is in some cases a bit of a mystery to me, I've made several assumptions about these things. But some of those assumptions seem to conflict a bit with what seems to be happening, so I thought I'd throw these assumptions out here to maybe hear where I'm wrong. Any comments...
  24. S

    How Much Energy Is Lost to Friction in This Physics Problem?

    Homework Statement In the diagram given, you pull upward on a rope that is attached to a cylinder on a vertical rod. Because the cylinder fits tightly on the rod, the cylinder slides along the rod with considerable friction. Your force does work (W = + 100 J) on the cylinder–rod–Earth system...
  25. K

    Entropy changes: Thermal energy to work and (some) back to Thermal energy

    In classical thermodynamics, if we dissipated the kinetic energy of an object as thermal energy, then we would increase the entropy. However, let's say we took 90% of some thermal energy in a reservoir, and converted it into work, and 10% of that is converted back into thermal energy after 1...
  26. P

    A calculation on thermal energy from friction.

    Hello, I am new here and I joined because I was wondering if I could find any help concerning finding heat from friction. The question is fictional, I am not talking about something that has happened, but I am interested in a realistic calculation for the physics behind it. in my problem...
  27. O

    Why can't thermal energy be converted completely to motion

    In my thermo class I'm currently taking, the professor constantly says thermal energy cannot be completely converted into energy of motion. Just to be clear, I'm not arguing this point. I'm just wondering why we say that, when earlier in the course it said that thermal energy at the...
  28. U

    Reversible reaction activated only by thermal energy

    Dear all, I am not an expert of Chemistry and I would like to know if there is a reversible reaction that can be activated only by thermal energy. The result of the reaction should be something which can be brough again to the initial state, releasing again the thermal energy stored. I was...
  29. E

    How Does Engine Efficiency Affect Cooling System Temperature?

    Homework Statement HELP with physics homework, thermal energy? I cannot figure out how to solve this problem, can someone show me how? A small engine pumps 100 liters of water from a well 300m deep. What would the change in temperature be for the engine 20 liter cooling system (filled...
  30. P

    Temperature and Thermal Energy

    Hi, :smile: While running, a person generates thermal energy but maintain approximately constant temperature: Distinguish between the terms: Temperature and Thermal Energy I know temperature is a measure of the average Kinetic Energy of molecules but I always get confused when it comes...
  31. K

    What happens when ice is added to water at different temperatures?

    i have a question: In an Insulated Vesse, 250 g of ice at 0 degree Celsius is added to 600 g of water at 18 degree Celsius. Find: a) Final temperature of the system. B) How much ice remains. PLEASE POST THE WAY HOW TO DO THIS QUESTION :D
  32. A

    Thermal energy of a gas in a box

    Homework Statement What are the factors that determines the thermal energy of a gas in a 3d object like a box Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I think thermal energy can be referred to as potential energy and also kinetic energy inside the box. If they are essentially...
  33. H

    Thermal Energy to Useful Energy

    Hey, what are the most efficient/effective ways you know of to take thermal (heat) energy and convert it into either electricity or mechanical action in a portable form? I was thinking peltier devices, but turns out that only has an efficiency of about 10-20%. Steam power is another...
  34. W

    Thermodynamics - Thermal Energy of a gas

    Homework Statement The rms speed of the molecules in 1.2 g of hydrogen gas is 1800 m/s. What is the thermal energy of the gas? Homework Equations m = Mass of 1 H molecule: 1.67 x 10^-27 kg N = Total # of molecules = 7.19 x 10^23 molecules c = rms speed The equation provided by my...
  35. M

    By how much does the thermal energy of the gas change?

    This is my very first post... :) I found some help here: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=277092 But I have a difficulty in sloving second and third part Homework Statement The figure shows(check the link) a thermodynamic process followed by 1.90×10^−2 of hydrogen (link to...
  36. H

    Understanding the Difference Between Heat and Thermal Energy

    There seems to be considerable confusion in the scientific community about thermal energy and heat. I have read several textbooks on thermodynamics and several posts in scientific forums and they certainly don't agree on what is heat and thermal energy. For some: thermal energy is the kinetic...
  37. W

    Calculating Thermal Energy of Hot Air Flow

    haw can i calculate the thermal energy (watt or BTU ) of the hot air (or the exhaust air of the chimney) according to the following : Temp. : 250 C hot air flow rate : 11 000 m3/h thanks
  38. D

    Question Regarding Thermal Energy

    Homework Statement An ideal gas is at 20C. The gas is cooled, reducing the thermal energy by 35%, What is the new temperature in C? Homework Equations None in particular. The Attempt at a Solution 35% of 20C is 7, 20-7= 13C
  39. H

    Thermal energy storage and usee

    i want to try use heat energy to power a small device, but i also want to be able to store some energy for use at a later stage... how could i go about doing this? also it needs to be as small as possible, and also very cheap id guess that it could be relatively simple to do considering i just...
  40. A

    Mechanical energy into thermal energy

    Homework Statement the roller coaster is 94.5m high at its highest point. what is the maximum possible speed of the roller coaster? the roller coaster's actual maximum speed is 4.1m/s.what percentage is lost to thermal energy due to friction? Homework Equations Wnc= Efinal-Eintial the part...
  41. S

    How Does Pulling a Chain Affect Its Thermal Energy?

    Homework Statement A chain of metal links with total mass m = 7 kg is coiled up in a tight ball on a low-friction table. You pull on a link at one end of the chain with a constant force F = 52 N. Eventually the chain straightens out to its full length L = 0.8 m, and you keep pulling until you...
  42. C

    Thermal Energy created by block sliding down ramp

    [b]1. A 1300 N crate slides 15 m down a ramp that makes an angle of 40 degrees with the horizontal. [b]2. F therm = Fk\DeltaX [b]3. I understand how to solve this with the coefficient of friction given, but how can I without the problem stating \mu?
  43. N

    Thermal Energy I don't see why my method is wrong.

    Homework Statement 300 g of water whose temp is 25*C are added to a thin glass containing 800 g of water at 20*C. What is the final temperature of the water? Homework Equations deltaE=mCdeltaT The Attempt at a Solution Here's what I did: deltaEsys=mCdeltaT [300g (4.2...
  44. R

    Thermal Energy Transfer in a Boiling Water and Aluminum Pan System

    Homework Statement 140 grams of boiling water (temperature 100° C, heat capacity 4.2 J/gram/K) are poured into an aluminum pan whose mass is 1050 grams and initial temperature 26° C (the heat capacity of aluminum is 0.9 J/gram/K). (a) After a short time, what is the temperature of the...
  45. C

    How Much Thermal Energy is Needed for a Four Month Space Journey?

    Hello! I was wondering if someone could take a look at this idea and tell me if there is something wrong with it: In attempting to shut down every part of a hypothetical spacecraft except some sort of highly insulated crew pod, the total amount of heat produced over a period of time is...
  46. H

    Understanding Thermal Energy: Exploring the Definition and Use of kT in Physics

    I am a first year Physics undergraduate. My question is with regrads to thermal energy. Many people define thermal energy as kT and equate that with the kinetic energy. In other instances, they equate 0.5kT with the kineitc energy. I am thoroughly confused about this. What is thermale...
  47. S

    Difference between heat, thermal energy, and temperature

    This isn't really a homework question per se. I'm studying for my MCAT and I'm having trouble trying to firmly get down some of the concepts in thermodynamics. As far as I know, heat is the means of energy transfer that isn't work from one substance to another due to a difference in...
  48. F

    Protostar - Thermal energy change

    Homework Statement I have to calculate the change in a protostar's thermal energy \Delta E_{term} on a year. I am given the protostar's luminosity L=3,5\cdot 10^{28}\,W Furthermore I am told that the energy that the star radiates comes from the lost potential energy under the star's...
  49. D

    Thermal energy power station problem

    [b]1. Homework Statement : A power station with an efficiency of 0.3 generates 10^8 W of electric power and dissipates 2.33 multiplied by 10^8 W of thermal energy to the cooling water that flows through it. Knowing the specific heat of water in SI units is 4184 J/kg°C, calculate how many...
  50. D

    Thermal energy power station problem

    [b]1. Homework Statement : A power station with an efficiency of 0.3 generates 10^8 W of electric power and dissipates 2.33 multiplied by 10^8 W of thermal energy to the cooling water that flows through it. Knowing the specific heat of water in SI units is 4184 J/kg°C, calculate how many...
Back
Top