At the macroscopic level, the difference between temperature, cold, and heat are that:
- temperature measures how hot or cold something is
- heat is a condition of being warm when energy is added to a substance. And Anytime we sense heat, it usually means that energy is in motion from a hotter object to a colder object
- cold is a condition of lack of warmth when energy is removed from a substance. For instance, in winter we usually feel cold because our bodies rapidly transfer energy to the surroundings. To keep ourselves warm, we usually wear thick clothes which are poor conductors of heat to help reduce the rate at which energy is transferred from our bodies to the surroundings.
At the microscopic or molecular level, the difference between temperature, cold, and heat are that:
- temperature is proportional to the average kinetic energy of moving molecules. Meaning, temperature tells us the concentration or intensity of kinetic energy. As molecules move faster, their kinetic energy and temperature also increase. And as molecules move slower, their kinetic energy and temperature also decrease.
- heat is a way in which energy is transferred from a higher temperature to a lower temperature until such a point that the temperature of the object receiving the energy is equal to the temperature of the object giving the energy. When this state is reached, we usually say that the objects have reached thermal equilibrium.
- Cold results when a substance loses energy to its surroundings. When energy is removed from a substance, just as water is cooled in a freezer, the water molecules move much less, decreasing their temperature and kinetic energy.
Notice!!! It’s a natural principle that energy is always transferred from a higher temperature to a lower temperature.
To learn more about energy, click here. And about law of conservation of energy, click here.