Year 9 Science · Unit 3 · Lesson 7
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Learning Goals
Compare two
Complete the table to compare heat and temperature. Use your lesson knowledge to fill in both columns.
| Feature | Heat | Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| What it measures | ||
| SI unit | ||
| Depends on mass? | ||
| Which changes first when objects touch? | ||
| Swimming pool vs coffee, which is larger? |
Real-world context
In January 2022, the Kimberley region of Western Australia experienced record-breaking flooding when over 900 mm of rain fell in 10 days. The flooded Fitzroy River carried an enormous volume of water at around 25°C, cool by any standard, through the town of Fitzroy Crossing. Meanwhile, a small pot of water on a camp stove in the same town was at boiling point: 100°C.
(a) The flooded river at 25°C contains far more total thermal energy than the small pot of boiling water at 100°C. Use the particle model of matter to explain why this is the case. In your answer, refer to the number of particles and their average kinetic energy.
(b) If the floodwater at 25°C were somehow placed next to the pot of boiling water at 100°C, heat would flow from the water in the pot to the floodwater, even though the floodwater contains more total thermal energy. Explain why heat flows in this direction, using the scientific definition of heat.
1. Convert 37°C (human body temperature) to Kelvin. Show your working. Then explain why scientists prefer the Kelvin scale for thermal energy calculations.
2. You place a metal spoon and a wooden spoon from your kitchen drawer on a bench. Both are at 22°C (room temperature). You pick up each one. Predict which feels colder to touch and explain why, without using the word "conduction", using only heat and temperature concepts.
Wrap Up
In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?