Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Abder-Rahman on May 11, 2010, 07:46:16 AM
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In Schaum's College Chemistry book, it described that "Temperature" determines the flow of heat.
Since I'm new to Chemistry, I just want to ask about the meaning of "Flow of heat" from a scientific perspective. I mean, when we say that a substance has a temperature HIGHER than another substance, how can we describe that in terms of "Flow of heat"?
Thanks.
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If I'm understanding your question correctly, try thinking about it this way. If you put a glass of water at 25 degrees next to a glass at 50 degrees, what happens?
Heat will leave one and enter the other. So flow of heat describes which way the heat is flowing. Is heat leaving the 50 degree glass, or the 25 degree glass?
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In Schaum's College Chemistry book, it described that "Temperature" determines the flow of heat.
Since I'm new to Chemistry, I just want to ask about the meaning of "Flow of heat" from a scientific perspective. I mean, when we say that a substance has a temperature HIGHER than another substance, how can we describe that in terms of "Flow of heat"?
Heat, like energy, flows from an object containing more heat to an object containing less heat. This stops when the two objects contain the same amount of heat, called thermal equilibrium (universally/entropically favored). Temperature is simply an indicator of the amount of heat contained in a substance. Thus heat will flow from an object of higher temp to an object of lower temp until the temps are equal. Hope this helps.
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Heat, like energy, flows from an object containing more heat to an object containing less heat.
No. 10 kg of water at 10 deg C cotains much more energy than 1 kg of water at 20 deg C, yet heat flows from the hotter to the colder.
This stops when the two objects contain the same amount of heat
No. See above. Heat flow stops when both have the same temperature.
Thus heat will flow from an object of higher temp to an object of lower temp until the temps are equal.
That's the first correct phrase in your post.