1 :: Heat Transfer

Homework Questions

1. What is another name for heat energy?

2. Metals are particularly good at conducting thermal energy. Explain why.

3. Use particles to explain why convection can happen in liquids and gases, but not solids.

4. Polar bears live in very cold conditions. Their thick white fur traps air close to their skin.

(a) Explain how this fur reduces the amount of thermal energy that a polar bear loses (mentioning conduction, convection and radiation).
(b) Explain why polar bears might overheat if the temperature rises above 20°C.

5. Choose a room in your home and write down three ways that heat transfer from the room has been reduced so as to keep it warmer in cold weather.

6. The water in a kettle is heated using the energy from an electrical element near the bottom.

(a) Explain how both conduction and convection play a part in transferring the energy.
(b) Suggest a reason why kettles are usually coloured white or silver.
(c) Suggest some reasons why the element in an electric kettle is not placed near the top.

7. Jack wants to improve the insulation in his home by fitting double-glazed windows.

(a) Explain how double-glazing reduces the heat transferred from a room on a cold day.
(b) Suggest some other advantages of double-glazing.
(c) Suggest an experiment that Jack could do to find out whether the amount of heat lost from his room really has decreased.