CHAPTER 3
  ToC


 
 

THERMAL PROCESSES
Overview      Phenomena      Activities      Readings      Materials







 

What this chapter is all about…

 
 

In this chapter, we will study thermal processes. Thermodynamics is the science of heat and hotness, of how bodies and other physical systems respond to heat, of how heat can be used to drive other processes, and how heat is produced. Heat is stored in materials and can be transported by conduction, convection, and radiation. Heat behaves in many ways like electricity or like fluids. This allows us to make good use of analogical reasoning.

 

 

Phenomena and applications…

 
 

Equilibration of temperatures in bodies in thermal contact. Thermo-electric heat pumps. Producing heat in electric heating. TE generators and heat engines. Heating and cooling water. Two bodies of water in thermal contact. Hot water in a thick-walled PVC container. Melting and fusing wax. Cooling water with a Peltier device. Compressing, expanding, heating and cooling of air. Dynamics of an incadescent bulb. Designing thermoelectric coolers. And more…