Chapter summary

The whole chapter in one list.

• Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles an object is made of; it is measured with a thermometer.
• Temperature is measured in degrees Celsius (°C), degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and kelvin (K); the international unit is the kelvin.
• Heat is the energy that passes from one object to another because of a temperature difference.
• An object that takes in heat, with no change of state, gets hotter; one that gives out heat gets colder.
• Heat capacity (C) is the heat needed to raise an object's temperature by one unit (J K^-1 or J °C^-1); specific heat capacity (c) is the same for a unit mass (J kg^-1 K^-1 or J kg^-1 °C^-1).

• Latent heat is the heat taken in or given out during a change of state, with no change in temperature.
• Fusion is a solid turning to liquid. The specific latent heat of fusion and of vaporization are the heats for a unit mass at the melting and boiling points; their unit is J kg^-1.
• Expansion is the increase in length, area or volume of a substance as it is heated.
• Heat transfer is heat moving from a hotter place to a cooler one, by conduction, convection and radiation.
• Conduction passes heat on particle to particle through a material; convection carries it as heated liquid or gas becomes less dense and rises; radiation carries it as electromagnetic waves with no matter taking part.
• Dark and rough surfaces absorb radiation well; shiny and white surfaces reflect it; black surfaces absorb the most and reflect the least.