While teaching heat transfer, one of the first questions students commonly ask is the difference ... more While teaching heat transfer, one of the first questions students commonly ask is the difference between heat and temperature. Another common question concerns the difference between the subjects of heat transfer and thermodynamics. Let me begin this chapter by trying to address these two questions. 1.1 Difference between heat and temperature In heat transfer problems, we often interchangeably use the terms heat and temperature. Actually, there is a distinct difference between the two. Temperature is a measure of the amount of energy possessed by the molecules of a substance. It manifests itself as a degree of hotness, and can be used to predict the direction of heat transfer. The usual symbol for temperature is T. The scales for measuring temperature in SI units are the Celsius and Kelvin temperature scales. Heat, on the other hand, is energy in transit. Spontaneously, heat flows from a hotter body to a colder one. The usual symbol for heat is Q. In the SI system, common units for measuring heat are the Joule and calorie.
While teaching heat transfer, one of the first questions students commonly ask is the difference ... more While teaching heat transfer, one of the first questions students commonly ask is the difference between heat and temperature. Another common question concerns the difference between the subjects of heat transfer and thermodynamics. Let me begin this chapter by trying to address these two questions. 1.1 Difference between heat and temperature In heat transfer problems, we often interchangeably use the terms heat and temperature. Actually, there is a distinct difference between the two. Temperature is a measure of the amount of energy possessed by the molecules of a substance. It manifests itself as a degree of hotness, and can be used to predict the direction of heat transfer. The usual symbol for temperature is T. The scales for measuring temperature in SI units are the Celsius and Kelvin temperature scales. Heat, on the other hand, is energy in transit. Spontaneously, heat flows from a hotter body to a colder one. The usual symbol for heat is Q. In the SI system, common units for measuring heat are the Joule and calorie.
Uploads
Papers by lekkala ramesh