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Unit 13: Thermodynamics Page 8

Objectives

Lesson 1: Temperature

Objects whose molecules are · There are three different
moving very quickly are said to scales for measuring
have high thermal energy or high temperature. Fahrenheit,
temperature. The higher the Celsius and Kelvin.
temperature, the faster the · Temperature is basically a
molecules are moving. You may
speedometer for molecules.
remember that temperature is just
The faster they are wiggling
a speedometer for molecules.
and jiggling, the higher the
temperature and the higher
You may have asked yourself the the thermal energy that
question, “So, if everything is object has.
made of molecules, and these
molecules are often speeding up · Your skin, mouth and tongue
and slowing down...what happens are antennas which can
to the stuff these molecules are sense thermal energy.
made of if they change speed a · There are four states of
lot? Will my kitchen table start matter: Solid, liquid, gas and
vibrating across the room if the plasma.
table somehow gets too hot?” No,
· Solids have strong, stiff
it’s pretty unlikely that your table
will begin jumping around the bonds between molecules
that hold the molecules in
room, no matter how hot it gets.
place.
However, some interesting things
do happen when molecules change · Liquids have loose, stringy
speeds. bonds between molecules
that hold molecules together
Highlights: but allow them some
flexibility.
· The terms hot, cold, warm
etc. describe what physicists · Gasses have no bonds
call thermal energy. between the molecules.
· Thermal energy is how much · Plasma is similar to gas but
the molecules are moving the molecules are very highly
inside an object. energized.

· The faster molecules move, · Materials change from one
the more thermal energy state to another depending
that object has. on the temperature and
these bonds.

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