What is Thermal Energy?

The sun sends the earth 35,000 times the amount of energy required by all of us on the entire planet, every day. The fourth lesson plan in the 10-part series looks at how light energy from the sun transfers into thermal energy. Scholars...

Oh nuts! Do macadamias or almonds produce more thermal energy? Energy enthusiasts find out with this experiment. The objective is to demonstrate to your class how the chemical energy contained in foods can be converted into useable...

Physical science scholars discover an array of heat sources. They experiment to connect radiation to heat. They begin to understand thermal equilibrium. Then, they test to see if mass affects the rate of temperature change. Choose a few,...

More than a week's worth of investigation is provided in this source. Physical science stars experiment to describe specific heat, conduction, convection, and radiation. They also discover the relationship between mechanical and thermal...

Multiple examples of heat transfer through different materials are shown. The information will reinforce concepts of particle energy change and movement at a early, secondary level.  

Convection, conduction, and radiation are the three methods of heat transfer. Introduce them to your physical science students by showing this video. The emcee shows where each of these play a role in his kitchen and explains a bit about...

A difficult-to-grasp concept, the fact that even cold objects contain heat energy, is the focus of this hot little video clip! Bill Nye tells physical science learners that heat is, by definition, the motion of molecules. He compares the...

Raise the temperature in your class with this hot film! Cartoon teens discuss thermal energy, the conservation and transfer of energy, three methods of heat transfer, conductors, and insulators. The publisher effectively packed every...

Discover what makes a cup of tea feel hot one minute and cold the next. Young physicists learn about thermal energy, why substances feel hot or cold, and the three means of thermal energy transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation...

Is it possible to blow up a balloon without touching it? By placing a cold bottle and balloon system into hot water, groups demonstrate how thermal energy causes gas expansion. Scholars place the bottle in cold water and reverse the...