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When does thermal energy change?

Updated: 8/10/2023
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11y ago

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An object loses thermal energy any time it is in an environment where there "ambient" temperature is lower than that of the object. It is the difference in temperatures between the object and its surrounds that will determine the speed of the heat loss (along with other factors like insulation and the composition of the object and the surrounds, etc.). If we consider the case of a red hot piece of iron, it will begin to cool immediately in air when removed from a furnace. It will cool a bit faster when put into a working freezer, and much faster when put into water of the same temperature as the air around it. All of this makes sense if we think about it. In general, everything is continually gaining and losing energy. If all the objects in a room are "soaking" at the ambient temperature, they are all gaining and giving off thermal energy, and they are all doing this at equilibrium. That's how they hold their temperature. Think about this. It is the key to understanding a basic principle of thermodynamics. Here's why. A bunch of objects in a closed environment that have been there a good while are constantly giving off and capturing thermal energy, but are doing so in a way that they do not change temperatute. Start to monkey with the temperature in the environment and things go haywire. With an understanding of the constant nature of the "circulating thermal energy" in a closed system, you can initiate an investigation of how thermodynamics works, and you can figure out why something like, say, a thermal imaging camera, will work so well.

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15y ago
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14y ago

Technically, energy can't get lost, since you can't create energy or make it disappear. However, it is possible to convert usable energy into unusable energy - in fact, it happens all the time, and is unavoidable. Energy gets "lost" in this way whenever a movement is slowed down through friction, but there are some other cases, as well. For example, when two recipients have water at different temperatures, part of the temperature difference could be converted to another kind of energy. Once the water in the two recipients gets mixed, this is no longer possible - the energy has been wasted.

Technically, energy can't get lost, since you can't create energy or make it disappear. However, it is possible to convert usable energy into unusable energy - in fact, it happens all the time, and is unavoidable. Energy gets "lost" in this way whenever a movement is slowed down through friction, but there are some other cases, as well. For example, when two recipients have water at different temperatures, part of the temperature difference could be converted to another kind of energy. Once the water in the two recipients gets mixed, this is no longer possible - the energy has been wasted.

Technically, energy can't get lost, since you can't create energy or make it disappear. However, it is possible to convert usable energy into unusable energy - in fact, it happens all the time, and is unavoidable. Energy gets "lost" in this way whenever a movement is slowed down through friction, but there are some other cases, as well. For example, when two recipients have water at different temperatures, part of the temperature difference could be converted to another kind of energy. Once the water in the two recipients gets mixed, this is no longer possible - the energy has been wasted.

Technically, energy can't get lost, since you can't create energy or make it disappear. However, it is possible to convert usable energy into unusable energy - in fact, it happens all the time, and is unavoidable. Energy gets "lost" in this way whenever a movement is slowed down through friction, but there are some other cases, as well. For example, when two recipients have water at different temperatures, part of the temperature difference could be converted to another kind of energy. Once the water in the two recipients gets mixed, this is no longer possible - the energy has been wasted.

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14y ago

When:

  • it slows down
  • it cools down
  • it looses chemical energy to form a more stable product
  • it looses its pressure
  • it gets closer to the center of gravity
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11y ago

For the matter of thermal energy transfer ,it required temperature difference.

For the matter of changing form, it would still required a temperature difference with some mechanism transforming thermal energy into mechanical or electrical energy.

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14y ago

Technically, energy can't get lost, since you can't create energy or make it disappear. However, it is possible to convert usable energy into unusable energy - in fact, it happens all the time, and is unavoidable. Energy gets "lost" in this way whenever a movement is slowed down through friction, but there are some other cases, as well. For example, when two recipients have water at different temperatures, part of the temperature difference could be converted to another kind of energy. Once the water in the two recipients gets mixed, this is no longer possible - the energy has been wasted.

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13y ago

A substance gains thermal energy as the temperature of the substance increases, because the particles of the substance vibrate more as this happens.

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13y ago

When all thermal energy is lost, the temperature of the substance is Zero Kelvin, or absolute zero. So far, this temperature has not been achieved yet.

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7y ago

Usually the "thermal energy" will increase since work ON the system adds energy. Thermal energy is really not the best term though. A much better term in thermodynamics would be ENTHALPY.

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12y ago

the force is doing work

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8y ago

40 degrees Celsius

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Q: When does thermal energy change?
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Related questions

What can cause kinetic energy to change into thermal energy?

Friction can cause kinetic energy to change into thermal energy


What Can cause kinetic energy to change to thermal energy?

Friction can cause kinetic energy to change into thermal energy


How does thermal energy cause substances to undergo chemical change how does thermal energy cause substances to undergo chemical change?

Thermal energy cause thermal decomposition of a compound; the bonds between atoms are weakened.


Is there a change in an objects thermal energy if the object is at thermal equilibrium?

no


What does a change form a liquid to a solid involve in thermal energy?

It involves a loss of thermal energy.


What is the formula for thermal?

The formula for thermal energy is mc(deltaT) equals thermal energy, which means that multiplication of change in temperature by mass and specific heat gives you the thermal energy.


How can a liquid expand without changing state?

A liquid can expand when thermal energy is absorbed which is known as thermal expansion, but the thermal energy is not enough to change the liquid's state. When there is enough thermal energy, the liquid may change to a gas if the particles move fast enough to escape the liquid or it may change to a solid if the thermal energy is released from the matter.


How can you change electrical energy to thermal energy?

you have to wear thermal clothing, then pour water over yourself, then grab a fork and stick it in the toaster. thermal energy :)


When gasoline burns what kind of energy does it change into?

Thermal energy


What change when the amount of a substance change?

total thermal energy


How does change in thermal energy causes matter to change from one state to another?

An increase in thermal energy may change a solid to a liquid, a liquid to a gas, or a solid to a gas.A decrease in thermal energy may cause a change in the opposite direction - for example, from a liquid to a solid.


Can an example of electrical energy changing to thermal energy Lights the energy?

I think the answer is a No because if you change electrical energy to thermal energy to an example it will mix into chemical energy.