Thermal Energy

~Thermal Energy~

The metal block feels cooler than the wooden block because the metal block absorbs the thermal energy from our skin at a faster rate than wood. This makes it feel as if the metal block is colder even though they are the same temperature.

The metal block melted the ice faster because it was absorbing the heat from the metal block faster than it did the wood.

EXTENSION:
- Although there are no particles between the earth and the sun, the earth is still heated by the sun due to radiation. Heat is transferred through empty space by thermal radiation, often called infrared radiation.

Heating Curves

~Heating Curves~

I learned about heating curves!

I found the heating of ice to its melting and boiling point, the temperature does not increase very fast. With the experiment my group tested, saltwater slowly rose for a bit of time and then started to increase much faster. Sugar and Salt could change the way the heating curve was. 

I would think the cooling curve would be slightly similar to the heating curve. I think it wouldn't decrease immediately, but then slowly increase at its cooling rate.