A | B |
temperature | a measure of how hot (or cold) something is; specifically, a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in an object |
thermal expansion | the increase in volume of a substance due to an increase in temperature |
absolute zero | the lowest possible temperature |
heat | the transfer of energy between objects that are different temperatures |
thermal energy | the total energy of the particles that make up an object |
conduction | the transfer of thermal energy from one substance to another through direct contact |
conductor | a substance that conducts thermal energy very well |
insulator | a substance that does not conduct thermal energy very well |
convection | the transfer of thermal energy by the movement of a liquid or a gas |
radiation | the transfer of energy through matter or space as electromagnetic waves |
specific heat capacity | the amount of energy needed to change the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1 degree Celsius |
states of matter | the physical forms in which a substance can exist |
change of state | the conversion of a substance from one physical form to another |
insulation | a substance that reduces the transfer of thermal energy |
heat engine | a machine that uses heat to do work |
thermal pollution | the excessive heating of a body of water |
combustion | the burning of fuel |