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Adding heat increases the kinetic energy of molecules, causing them to move faster and more randomly. This increased molecular motion can lead to changes in the physical state of matter, such as melting a solid into a liquid or vaporizing a liquid into a gas.
Observing Brownian motion led to the development of the kinetic theory of heat. By seeing how small particles moved randomly in a fluid, scientists could understand that this motion was caused by molecular collisions. This helped shape the idea that heat is a result of the motion of particles and led to our current understanding of temperature as a measure of molecular motion.
When heat energy is increased, the molecules in a substance gain more kinetic energy and move faster. This increased molecular motion leads to a rise in temperature and can result in changes in the state of matter, such as melting or boiling.
When matter changes state, the molecular energy generally increases as heat is added or decreases as heat is removed. Molecular motion increases as the substance transitions from a solid to a liquid to a gas. The overall mass of the substance remains the same throughout the phase change process, as no particles are added or removed.
Convection is the transfer of heat through a fluid (liquid or gas) caused by molecular motion. As the fluid is heated, its molecules move faster and spread apart, becoming less dense. This creates convection currents that transport heat throughout the fluid.
Most materials expand when heated due to increased molecular motion, and contract when cooled due to decreased molecular motion. Examples include gases, liquids, and solids such as metals and plastics.