Energy Transfer by Heating

Conduction is the transfer of energy through a substance without the substance itself moving. It takes place mainly in solids.
Conduction occurs when particles collide, transferring kinetic energy from high-temperature regions to cooler regions.
Metals are good conductors because they have free electrons that can move and transfer energy.
Insulators, on the other hand, are poor conductors as they contain hardly any free electrons for energy transfer.

Specific heat capacity is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1 degree Celsius.
Different materials have different specific heat capacities, requiring varying amounts of energy to change their temperature.
The formula for calculating energy is E = mcΔT.
- E is the energy transferred (joules, J),
- m is the mass of the substance (kilograms, kg),
- c is the specific heat capacity (joules per kilogram degrees Celsius, J/kg°C), and
- ΔT is the change in temperature (degrees Celsius, °C).

In gases, energy is mostly transferred through convection.
Convection is the transfer of heat by the mass movement of particles, moving energy from a warmer plan to a cooler place.
Convection currents form when a gas or liquid is heated, particles move faster and spread out, becoming less dense and rising. Cooler, denser particles then sink, creating a cycle.

Infrared radiation is a type of electromagnetic wave, it can travel through empty space, unlike conduction and convection.
All objects emit and absorb infrared radiation.
Darker, matt surfaces are good at absorbing and emitting infrared radiation.
Lighter, shiny surfaces are poor at absorbing and good at reflecting infrared radiation. They are often used as insulating materials to reduce energy transfers.