Heat Energy

 Heat Energy 

Heat energy, also known as thermal energy, is a form of energy that is related to the movement of tiny particles (atoms and molecules) within matter. Everything around us is made up of particles, and these particles are always moving. The faster they move, the more heat energy they have.

When a substance is heated, its particles begin to move more quickly. This increased movement is what we perceive as a rise in temperature. If there is a difference in temperature between two objects or regions, heat energy will naturally flow from the hotter object to the cooler one. This continues until both objects reach the same temperature — a state called thermal equilibrium.

Heat energy can be transferred in three main ways:

• Conduction – through direct contact (like when you touch a hot pan),

• Convection – through the movement of fluids such as air or water (like warm air rising),

• Radiation – through electromagnetic waves, even in a vacuum (like heat from the Sun reaching Earth).

  
  
  

The amount of heat energy something gains or loses depends on:

• The mass of the object,

• The type of material (some materials heat up faster than others)

• And the change in temperature it goes through.

• This energy is measured in joules in the metric system