Thermal Energy Facts

The essence of existence of this Universe is energy. Every particle in itself is a manifestation of energy and all the plays of nature are in some or the other ways, changes and transformations of energy. As we all know, there are various types of energy and some of the most commonly heard energy forms are:

• Gravitational Energy
• Electrical Energy
• Chemical Energy
• Mechanical Energy
• Nuclear Energy

The fundamental law of energy that "energy can neither be created nor be destroyed but can be transferred from one body to the other" governs all the basic process of life. Students who have elementary knowledge of sciences must be knowing that heat energy or thermal energy is a form of kinetic energy that occurs due to the motion of molecules in a system.

An Overview of Thermal Energy
It results from the vibrational, rotational and oscillatory motion of atoms and molecules that constitute the substance. Kinetic energy is the energy that a substance possesses on account of its motion. Therefore, we can conclude that it is a manifestation of kinetic energy of atoms and molecules. Thermal physics is the branch of physics that deals with the physical process that involve changes (increase/decrease) in the temperature of the system. In any case, thermal energy is just a part of the internal kinetic energy or thermodynamic energy of a system and it is often confused with total internal energy of the system which is sum total of internal kinetic energy and potential energy of the system. The random motion of molecules can be described with the help of kinetic theory of matter. According to this theory, matter comprises atoms and molecules in random motion and while moving from one place to the other, these particles transfer their kinetic energy to nearby particles.

Understanding Temperature and Heat
Temperature and heat are the parameters that govern the inherent thermal energy of an object. Temperature is defined as the average kinetic energy of all the atoms and molecules in an object. A very basic definition of temperature is the degree of hotness or coldness of an object. When we touch a hot plate, what flows from the plate is heat energy. So heat is defined as flow of thermal energy from an object of higher temperature to an object at relatively lower temperature.

Thermal Energy and Earth
The Sun is the first and natural source of energy to the mankind. Energy in the form of heat and light is transferred from the Sun to Earth and it sustains life on Earth. Energy from the Sun is called radiation and when it reaches Earth, it is known as heat. At some basic level, it is created in many aspects of our daily lives. Burning, for instance, is a very simple form of heat-producing reaction. Energy in the nuclear reactions and motion of electrons in electrical circuits are some other examples where this form of energy is created in the process. Geothermal energy is another form of energy that is generated from the interior of Earth.

Solar thermal power is one of the most common forms of thermal energy and it's energy is used in solar panels, evaporation systems, etc. for harnessing the solar energy. With the development of new technologies to harness the potential of thermal energies, we can reduce over dependence on various forms of non-sustainable energies.