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6.9AB Thermal Energy Picture Vocabulary Rice University – All Rights Reserved © 2011
6.9AB Thermal Energy
Picture Vocabulary
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Thermal Energy
The energy of heat, which transfers from hotter objects to colder objects
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Temperature
A measurement for the sensation of “how hot” or “how cold”
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Conduction
The transfer of heat that occurs when two objects of different temperatures touch:
matter must be in direct contact Rice University – All Rights Reserved © 2011
Conductor
A substance that heat or electricity can easily "ow through
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Insulator
A material that protects or resists the transfer of heat, electricity or noise
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Convection
The transfer of heat from one place to another, when matter is in direct contact
and is in motion due to density changes in liquid or gas
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Heat source"
Cooler area" Material cools, contracts, becomes more dense and sinks
Radiation
The transfer of heat that occurs through empty space, matter need not be in direct
contact or be present Rice University – All Rights Reserved © 2011
