Heat and Temperature Worksheet

The words 'heat' and 'temperature' are sometimes used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing:

The temperature can be high or low and is measured with a thermometer in degrees Celsius (°C). This is the main unit of measurement. It tells you how hot or cold an object is.
Heat is a form of energy and is measured in joules (J). It is also called thermal energy. It tells you how much energy (in the form of heat) is stored in an object; this depends on the object's temperature, material and mass.

When heat energy flows from a hot object to a cooler one, we say that heat is transferred. This happens until both objects become the same temperature.

Thermometer

The human body has a temperature of 37°C. If it gets a lot warmer or a lot cooler than this, we would die. That is why our bodies have ways of keeping us at 37°C, for example: sweating and shivering. However, modern humans have developed other ways to protect themselves from extreme temperatures, such as clothing and buildings.

Complete this sentence.

The normal human body temperature is _______ degrees Celsius.

Why is it important that our body stays at this temperature?

so that we can work OK

so that our body systems work correctly

so that we don't feel cold

How does sweating help our body to keep cool?

Sweating makes us feel colder.

Heat comes out of the body in the form of sweat.

Sweat is a fluid that uses heat energy from the body to evaporate.

We sweat when we are cold.

How does clothing help us to keep warm?

Clothing makes us sweat and so we keep warm.

Clothes keep the sun away from our skin.

Clothes do not let us feel any cold.

Clothes slow down the transfer of heat between our bodies and our surroundings.

How can we keep a drink hot or cold for a few hours?

We make it when we need it.

We reheat it or put it in the fridge.

We cannot keep a drink hot or cold for that long.

We use insulation flasks.

What is the difference between heat and temperature?

Temperature tells us how hot or cold something is and heat is the energy stored in an object.

Temperature tells us how big something is and heat is the energy stored in an object.

Temperature tells us how hot something is and heat is the mass of an object.

Temperature tells us how transparent something is and heat is the energy stored in an object.

What are the units of measurement for temperature? Tick all that apply.

degrees Celsius

degrees Kelvin

degrees Fahrenheit

degrees Centigrade

You have a kettle and a big water tank, both full of water. You want to heat the water inside both of them to 100^oC. Which one will take longer and why?

It will take less time to heat the water in the big tank, because it has a smaller mass.

It will take longer to heat the water in the big tank, because it has a bigger mass.

It will take less time to heat the water in the big tank, because it has a bigger mass.

It will take longer to heat the water in the big tank, because it has a smaller mass.

When a hot and a cold object are in contact, heat transfers from the hot to the cold one. Why?

Heat transfers to balance out the different temperatures, i.e. until they are the same.

Heat transfers to balance out the different temperatures, i.e. until they are very different.

No, heat transfers from a cold object to a hot one.

Heat transfers until one object burns.

Iced drink

What happens to the temperature of a drink when you put an ice cube into it?

It goes up.

It stays the same.

It goes down.

It becomes warmer.

ANSWERS

Question 1

Complete this sentence.

The normal human body temperature is _______ degrees Celsius.

CORRECT ANSWER

37

EDDIE SAYS

The normal body temperature is 37. Celsius must be written with capital C. We can also write 'degrees Celsius' as '°C'.

ANSWERS

Question 2

Why is it important that our body stays at this temperature?

CORRECT ANSWER

so that our body systems work correctly

EDDIE SAYS

We fall ill when our body temperature goes above or below 37°C. If our bodies go much over or under this temperature, we would die.

ANSWERS

Question 3

How does sweating help our body to keep cool?

CORRECT ANSWER

Sweat is a fluid that uses heat energy from the body to evaporate.

EDDIE SAYS

Energy is used when a fluid evaporates; for example, when you leave a glass of water in your living room for a few days, it will become a gas (it will evaporate), especially if the weather is hot.

ANSWERS

Question 4

How does clothing help us to keep warm?

CORRECT ANSWER

Clothes slow down the transfer of heat between our bodies and our surroundings.

EDDIE SAYS

It takes longer for heat to leave our bodies when we are covered in clothes. They form an insulating layer around us, slowing down the rate of thermal energy transfer.

ANSWERS

Question 5

How can we keep a drink hot or cold for a few hours?

CORRECT ANSWER

We use insulation flasks.

EDDIE SAYS

Insulation flasks act like clothes to our body and slow down the transfer of heat.

ANSWERS

Question 6

What is the difference between heat and temperature?

CORRECT ANSWER

Temperature tells us how hot or cold something is and heat is the energy stored in an object.

EDDIE SAYS

Energy is all around us, inside us and with everything we do, but temperature just tells us if something is cold or hot.

ANSWERS

Question 7

What are the units of measurement for temperature? Tick all that apply.

CORRECT ANSWER

degrees Celsius
degrees Kelvin
degrees Fahrenheit
degrees Centigrade

EDDIE SAYS

All these units are used in various countries and by scientists.

ANSWERS

Question 8

You have a kettle and a big water tank, both full of water. You want to heat the water inside both of them to 100^oC. Which one will take longer and why?

CORRECT ANSWER

It will take longer to heat the water in the big tank, because it has a bigger mass.

EDDIE SAYS

It takes longer to store energy in a big object, because it has a big mass.

ANSWERS

Question 9

When a hot and a cold object are in contact, heat transfers from the hot to the cold one. Why?

CORRECT ANSWER

Heat transfers to balance out the different temperatures, i.e. until they are the same.

EDDIE SAYS

There is more heat (thermal energy) in a hot object and when a hot and a cold object 'touch' each other, the particles of the hot one let heat be transferred to the particles of the cold one.