What is heat? How does heat differ from thermal energy? Under what condition is heat transferred from one system to another?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Heat is the flow of energy due to a temperature difference, whereas thermal energy is the internal energy present in a system due to its temperature. Heat is transferred from one system to another when there is a temperature difference between the two systems. It flows from the system with higher temperature to the one with lower temperature until they reach thermal equilibrium.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of Heat

Heat in its scientific definition refers to the flow of energy due to a temperature difference. It is a process, not a property of a system. It is the transfer of energy through radiation, conduction or convection.
02

Definition of Thermal Energy

Thermal energy is the internal energy present in a system due to its temperature. It is related to the temperature and the motion of particles in a system. It's a measure of the total kinetic energy of the particles in a system.
03

Comparison of Heat and Thermal Energy

Thermal energy is the total kinetic energy of the particles in a system due to its temperature, while heat is the transfer of this energy from one system to another due to a difference in temperature. Heat is therefore a process, while thermal energy is a form of energy, a property of a system.
04

Condition for Heat Transfer

Heat transfer occurs when there is a difference in temperature between two systems or substances. Heat will naturally flow from the higher temperature system to the lower temperature system until both systems reach thermal equilibrium, that is, they are at the same temperature.

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