Chapter 4, Problem 1CQ

What is temperature? What is heat?

To determine

Definitions of temperature and heat.

Answer to Problem 1CQ

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules that constitute a substance and the measure of the internal energy that is absorbed or transferred from one body to the other is termed as heat.

Explanation of Solution

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules that constitute a substance. It measures how much hot or cold a material is. The scales in which the temperature is measured are the Kelvin Scale $\left(\text{K}\right)$, the Celsius Scale $\left(°\text{C}\right)$ and the Fahrenheit Scale $\left(°\text{F}\right)$, with the Kelvin Scale being internationally adopted.

The measure of the internal energy that is absorbed or transferred from one body to the other is termed as heat. The transfer of energy within a body or from one body to the other is called heat transfer. There are three modes by which heat can get transferred from one body to the other namely conduction that is by the molecules vibrating about their axis; convection that is by the movement of molecules from one place to the other and radiation that involve the use of waves.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the temperature measures the average kinetic energy of the molecules that constitute a substance and the measure of the internal energy that is absorbed or transferred from one body to the other is termed as heat.