Difference Between Heat And Temperature

We often tend to get confused between heat and temperature. It is because they are quite closely related if we look closely. Thus, there is a difference between heat and temperature. They may be interconnected but are definitely not the same thing. When you learn their difference, it can give you a better understanding to know how the world works. When we add heat to anything, it’s temperature will go up. Similarly, when we reduce the temperature of something, the heat will go away. A closer look at these two things will help in clearing things better.

Definition of Heat

Heat refers to the transfer of thermal energy that takes place between molecules within a system. We measure it in Joules. In other words, heat will measure how energy is moving or flowing. To understand the difference between heat and temperature, you need to know that an object will gain or lose heat but not have heat. Thus, it can be said to be a measure of change. However, it is not a property which an object or system possesses. Thus, we classify it as a process variable.

Definition of Temperature

Temperature refers to the average kinetic energy of molecules present in an object or system. We use Celsius (°C), Fahrenheit (°F), Kelvin (K), for measuring the temperature of anything. You can easily measure the temperature of an object. In other words, it is a measurable physical property which we also refer to as a state variable. For instance, other types of measurable physical property are velocity, mass, density and more.

Difference between Heat and Temperature

Importance Difference between Heat and Temperature

Basis of Comparison	Heat	Temperature
Meaning	It refers to the amount of energy present in a body	It is the measure of the heat’s intensity
Unit of Measurement	Joules	Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin
Measures	It is the total kinetic and potential energy which the molecules in an object contain	It is the average kinetic energy of the molecules present in an object
Working Ability	The heat has the ability to do work	We can use it to measure the degree of heat
Device	Calorimeter	Thermometer
Symbol	Q	T
Property	It flows from a hotter object to a cooler object	It rises when we heat it and falls when we cool it

More details about Heat

As we all know by now that heat of an object refers to the collective energy of all the molecular movement inside the object. It is like a form of energy which transmits from one substance or source to another because of the temperature differences.

In other words, it moves from a hotter substance to a cooler one. You can measure it in energy units of calorie or joules. Moreover, you will learn that heat transfer takes place in three ways, conduction, convection and radiation.

Conduction is when heat transfer happens between molecules which are in direct contact with each other without the particles moving. Further, convection is heat transfer because of the movement of particles from one place to another. Finally, radiation is the transfer of heat via a medium or vacuum where space does not heat up.

More details about Temperature

To clearly understand the difference between heat and temperature, we will learn more about temperature. It is the average kinetic energy of all the molecules collectively. In other words, it is the average energy of all the particles in a substance. If we look at the average measurement, an object’s temperature will not rely on its size and type. It will merely recognize how hot or cold it is in terms of degrees.

Moreover, it will also measure the speed of atoms and molecules of the substance. You can measure it in several scales like Kelvin, Celsius and Fahrenheit. The object used to gauge the temperature is the thermometer.

FAQs about Heat and Temperature

Question 1: State the unit of measurement of heat and temperature.

Answer 1: The unit of measurement of heat is Joules. Further, Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin are units of temperature.

Question 2: What is the main difference between heat and temperature?

Answer 2: There are a lot of differences. While heat is the amount of energy in a body, the temperature is the measure of the intensity of the heat.