Heat & Temperature

Understanding heat, temperature, and thermal energy transfer

Topics

How does heat transfer work?

Heat transfers through three mechanisms: conduction (direct contact between objects), convection (movement of fluids), and radiation (electromagnetic waves). Heat always flows from hotter objects to colder objects.

What is heat?

Heat is energy that transfers from one object to another due to a temperature difference. It flows from hotter objects to colder objects until thermal equilibrium is reached.

What is temperature?

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance. It indicates how hot or cold something is and determines the direction of heat flow—heat flows from higher temperature to lower temperature.

What is the difference between heat and temperature?

Heat is energy being transferred between objects, while temperature measures how hot or cold something is. Heat is the total energy transferred, while temperature measures the average kinetic energy of particles.

Why does metal feel cold?

Metal feels cold because it conducts heat away from your skin very efficiently. Even at room temperature, metal quickly transfers heat from your warmer hand, making it feel cold compared to materials that conduct heat poorly.