Lecture 17a - Heat
Heat $Q$ is the transfer of energy due to temperature difference. The symbol for heat is $Q$, SI unit is $J$. A common non-SI unit is $cal$.
Work $W$ accounts for all othe types of energy transfer. The symbol for work is $W$, SI unit is also $J$.
Here is an important convention to keep in mind:
In the figure one can see the different modes of heat transfer, namely conduction (by contact), convection (by fluid flow), and radiation (by electromagnetic waves).
It may surprise you to know that people used to think heat is totally different from energy (of course scientists had their reasons, which we go into here). As a result, even though science already had a unit for energy ($J$, Joule), scientists used a different unit for heat, $cal$ (calorie).
Definition of calorie ($cal$):
These days, we know that $1cal = 4.186J$, and since heat is a type of energy transfer, $J$ is the SI unit for heat. $cal$ is a common but non-SI unit. We do still use $cal$ in many places, such as the heat content of food labels (which is usually in $Cal = kcal$, "the big cal"), and in calorimetry experiments.
Specific heat capacity $c$ gives the amount of heat ($Q$) required to raise the temperature of $1kg$ of a sample by $1^\circ C$:
Different materials have different values of specific heat capacity.
Substance | $c (JK^{-1}kg^{-1})$ |
---|---|
water (liquid) | $4186$ |
steam* | $1930$ |
ice | $2090$ |
copper | $385$ |
gold | $129$ |
porcelain | $1100$ |
salt | $900$ |
For example, $c$ for liquid water is $4186JK^{-1}kg^{-1}$, meaning if you supply $4186J$ of heat to $1kg$ of liquid water, its temperature would rise by $1K$.
$T_i$ | $T_f$ | $\Delta T_C$ | $\Delta T_K$ |
---|---|---|---|
$0^\circ C = 273 K$ | $10^\circ C = 283 K$ | $10^\circ C - 0^\circ C = 10^\circ C $ | $283K - 273K = 10 K $ |
$10^\circ C = 283 K$ | $30^\circ C = 303 K$ | $30^\circ C - 10^\circ C = 20^\circ C $ | $303K - 283K = 20 K $ |
$10^\circ C = 283 K$ | $100^\circ C = 373 K$ | $100^\circ C - 10^\circ C = 90^\circ C $ | $373K - 283K = 90 K $ |
Heat is required during the change of phase, the amount of energy per unit mass is known as the latent heat. The basic equation is given by:
There are two types of latent heat:
Name | Symbol | Unit | Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
Latent heat of fusion | $L_f$ | $ J/kg $ | heat required to melt $1kg$ of sample at the melting point |
Latent heat of vaporization | $L_v$ | $ J/kg$ | heat required to vaporize $1kg$ of sample at the boiling point |
Substance | $L_f (kJ/kg)$ | Melting point ($^\circ C$) | $L_v (kJ/kg)$ | Boiling point ($^\circ C$) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Water | 334 | 0 | 2254 | 100 |
Sulphur | 54 | 115 | 1406 | 445 |
Mercury | 11 | -39 | 294 | 357 |
Nitrogen | 25 | -210 | 199 | -196 |
Oxygen | 14 | -219 | 213 | -183 |
Hydrogen | 60 | -259 | 449 | -253 |
It is also worthwhile comparing the two equations for $Q$ you have encountered so far: $$ \left\{ \begin{array}{l} Q = mc\Delta T \text{ [no phase change, $\Delta T \neq 0$]}\\ Q = \pm mL \text{ [phase change, $\Delta T = 0$]} \end{array} \right. $$
The absence of $\Delta T$ in the latent heat equation is based on the fact that temperature stays the same during a phase transition (i.e. $\Delta T=0$). For example, as water is boiling, the temperature stays at the boiling point of $100^\circ C$ no matter how strong the flame is.
For a related reason, there is no need to put $\pm$ in the specific heat equation because the sign of $Q$ in $Q=mc\Delta T$ is controlled by the sign of $\Delta T$. For example, when heat is supplied to a sample without phase change, temperature rises ($\Delta T\gt 0$), leading to $Q\gt0$. When it is being cooled, temperature drops ($\Delta T\lt 0$), leading to $Q\lt0$.
The above equation can be straight forwardly be generalized to heat exchange amoung multiple objects:
Name | Symbol | Unit | Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
Heat | $Q$ | $J$ | energy transfer due to temperature difference |
Work | $W$ | $J$ | energy transfer (except heat) |
Temperature change | $\Delta T$ | $K$ | difference in temperature, $T_f - T_i$ |
Specific heat capacity | $c$ | $JK^{-1}kg^{-1}$ | heat to raise $T$ of $1kg$ of sample by $1K$ |
Latent heat of fusion | $L_f$ | $Jkg^{-1}$ | heat to melt $1kg$ of sample at melting point |
Latent heat of vaporization | $L_v$ | $Jkg^{-1}$ | heat to vaporize $1kg$ of sample at boiling point |