Can you have a high temperature with very little heat?

In summary: Yes, in theory, we should still be able to sense how "cold" or "hot" it feels to be in that environment should we not?
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MaxKang
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From what I know, temperature is defined to be the average kinetic energy of molecules within a system while heat is said to be the total kinetic energy of molecules.

I know this might be something we can never achieve in real life but here's how my thought process went.

Imagine you have a box with radiation shielding such that there is no radiation process involved. If you can somehow suck out all the molecules leaving just one molecule behind, depending on how slow or fast this molecule travels you can have very little "total kinetic energy" with quite high temperature(average kinetic energy). I guess when the molecule bounces off the wall there could be a sudden change in temperature.

I am aware that temperature is only defined when you have a reasonable amount of molecules but if we can somehow come up with the setting I mentioned, then what happens in real life? do we feel hot? cold?
 
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MaxKang said:
From what I know, temperature is defined to be the average kinetic energy of molecules within a system while heat is said to be the total kinetic energy of molecules.

Temperature only equals average kinetic energy (with some caveats) in classical physics. This is not so in quantum physics. Example - ideal Fermi gas.
 
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akhmeteli said:
Temperature only equals average kinetic energy (with some caveats) in classical physics. This is not so in quantum physics. Example - ideal Fermi gas.
But we still should be able to sense how "cold" or "hot" it feels to be in that environment should we not? Does the quantum theory predict that we will indeed feel cold in an environment where there is only a very little amount of molecules?
 

Related to Can you have a high temperature with very little heat?

1. Can you really have a high temperature with very little heat?

Yes, it is possible for an object to have a high temperature without having a significant amount of heat. This is known as the temperature-pressure relationship, where a substance can have a high temperature due to its pressure, even if it does not contain a lot of heat energy.

2. How is this possible?

According to the ideal gas law, the temperature of a gas is directly proportional to its pressure. Therefore, if the pressure of a gas increases, its temperature will also increase. This means that even if the gas does not have a lot of heat energy, it can still have a high temperature if it is under high pressure.

3. Can you give an example of this phenomenon?

One example of this is the use of compressed air in air conditioners. The air is compressed to a high pressure, which increases its temperature. This hot air is then cooled down, causing it to release heat and lower its temperature. This cooled air is then used to cool down the room.

4. Is this related to the concept of specific heat capacity?

Yes, this phenomenon is related to the concept of specific heat capacity. Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by 1 degree Celsius. In the case of temperature-pressure relationship, the specific heat capacity of the substance remains the same, but its temperature can change significantly due to pressure changes.

5. Are there any other factors that can cause a high temperature with little heat?

Apart from pressure, there are other factors that can contribute to a high temperature with little heat. These include the type of substance (different substances have different specific heat capacities), the temperature of the surrounding environment, and the amount of heat energy being added or removed from the object.

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