Thermal Glossary

when a material takes in electromagnetic radiation or particles.

approximately equal to 6.022 x 10²³ particles per mole. It's like a cosmic numerical bridge that allows us to quantify the vastness of the microscopic world.

directly proportional to the temperature of a gas. As the temperature rises, the particles gain more energy and move with greater speed. It's like a temperature-driven tango, where the dance becomes more lively as the heat turns up.

an object that absorbs all incident radiation, regardless of wavelength, and emits radiation according to its temperature. It's like a thermal virtuoso, perfectly in tune with the laws of physics.

an insulated container or vessel with a known heat capacity. This container allows us to isolate a system undergoing a process and measure the temperature changes that occur. It's like a heat-trapping accomplice, ensuring that we capture and quantify the energy exchanges taking place.

the science of measuring heat transfer, typically through the use of calorimeters. These clever devices allow us to measure the temperature changes that occur when heat flows into or out of a system. It's like a thermal detective's magnifying glass, revealing the clues left behind by energy transformations.

the unit of temperature where the freezing point of water is set at 0 degrees and the boiling point of water at standard atmospheric pressure is set at 100 degrees. It's like a temperature scale that aligns with the fundamental properties of water, a substance so vital to our existence.

the transfer of heat energy through a substance or between objects due to temperature differences. It's like a thermal relay race, where particles pass the "heat baton" from one to another.