Temperature and Heat
• Thermal energy is “kinetic energy” of
moving atoms and molecules
– Hot material energy has more energy available
which can be used for
• Chemical reactions
• Nuclear reactions (at very high temperature)
• Escape of gasses from planetary atmospheres
• Creation of light
– Collision bumps electron up to higher energy orbit
– It emits extra energy as light when it drops back down to
lower energy orbit
– (Reverse can happen in absorption of light)