Think about all the ways you can make heat. Put a log on a fire and it burns, creating heat. Run around the playground and your body gets warm. Turn up the thermostat on the furnace and warm air flows from the vents. Or, rub your hands together and you’ll notice heat.
- Heat happens when energy is burned or used. The hotter an object, the faster its molecules are moving.
- Warm objects expand or become larger. Cold objects contract or become smaller.
- Heat transfers from one object to another until both objects are the same temperature. This is called conduction.
- Some materials conduct – or transfer heat – better than others. Pots and pans are made of aluminum, stainless steel, iron, or copper, which transfer heat well. Fabric doesn’t transfer heat well, which is why blankets and coats are made from it. The heat stays in, keeping us warm.
- Heat can change the state of matter. Butter, chocolate, and ice change from solids to liquids when they’re heated.
- Expand: become larger
- Contract: shrink; become smaller
- Transfer: move from one to another
Q and A
Question: Does eating food create heat?
Answer: Yes, when you eat and digest food, you’re creating energy and heat. Think of your body as a furnace and food as its fuel.
Head over to FunKids to learn more about heat and energy.