• Question: What form does energy take when it has been released as heat and then cools down?

    Asked by cobra to Akram, Gill, Jack, laurenceharwood on 21 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Jack Snape

      Jack Snape answered on 21 Mar 2012:

      The energy is spread to more particles and shared out among them.

      So the heat will start in only a few particles in a small area, then those particles will bang into other particles in the atmosphere, cooling down themselves and heat up the other particles as they go… Hope that makes sense 🙂

    • Photo: Gill Menzies

      Gill Menzies answered on 21 Mar 2012:

      Great answer Jack – the heat dissipates. Heat is described as one of the lowest forms of energy because it is very difficult and inefficient to convert it to other froms.

    • Photo: Laurence Harwood

      Laurence Harwood answered on 21 Mar 2012:

      When energy hits a molecule, it causes it to move around faster and also the chemical bonds within the molecule vibrate and spin faster. This in turn makes the molecule get hotter so heat energy is transferred from one thing to another.

      Did you know that the front of your face has nerves that are very sensitive to heat? So, if you stand in front of a bonfire you feel the heat most intensely in your face. This is a very important protection mechanism for your eyes which can be easily damaged.

    • Photo: Akram Alomainy

      Akram Alomainy answered on 21 Mar 2012:

      Well in simple forms they couple their energy to neighbouring particles so they cool themselves down by getting rid of excess heat to others … like shifting blames in school yards 😉

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