Heat vs. Temperature: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Heat is the energy transferred between substances due to a temperature difference, while temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance.
Key Differences
Heat is a form of energy that flows between two substances due to a temperature difference. Temperature, on the other hand, is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance. This paragraph highlights the fundamental nature of both concepts: heat as an energy transfer and temperature as an energy measure.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
Heat is measured in units like joules or calories, indicative of energy content. Temperature is measured in degrees (Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin), reflecting the intensity of heat or thermal energy. This distinction emphasizes how each concept is quantified and the units used for measurement.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
In the context of thermodynamics, heat is the energy in transit, moving from a higher to a lower temperature body. Temperature acts as a driving force for this transfer, where a higher temperature indicates a greater propensity to lose heat. This paragraph explains the relationship between heat flow and temperature gradients.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
Heat can cause changes in the state of a substance (like melting or boiling) without necessarily changing its temperature. Temperature changes, however, are indicators of the average kinetic energy change but do not always signify a phase change. This distinction highlights different effects of heat and temperature on matter.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
The transfer of heat is crucial in various processes like heating, cooling, and maintaining thermal equilibrium. Temperature serves as an important parameter in these processes, guiding the direction and magnitude of heat flow. This final paragraph links both concepts to practical applications in everyday life and technology.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Practical Application
Heating, cooling processes
Guides direction of heat flow
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Nov 17, 2023
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Heat and Temperature Definitions
Heat
Heat is a form of energy associated with the movement of atoms or molecules.
Heat generated by friction can cause machinery to overheat.
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Nov 16, 2023
Temperature
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance.
The temperature of boiling water is 100°C.
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Nov 16, 2023
Heat
Heat is the flow of thermal energy from a hot region to a cold region.
The heat of the sun warms the Earth's surface.
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Nov 16, 2023
Temperature
Temperature indicates the degree of heat or coldness of an object.
The temperature dropped below freezing last night.
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Nov 16, 2023
Heat
A form of energy associated with the kinetic energy of atoms or molecules and capable of being transmitted through solid and fluid media by conduction, through fluid media by convection, and through empty space by radiation.
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Oct 19, 2023
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Temperature
Temperature is a scale that measures the energy level of heat in a body.
The temperature in the desert can reach extreme highs during the day.
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Nov 16, 2023
Heat
The transfer of energy from one body to another as a result of a difference in temperature or a change in phase.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
Temperature is a numerical representation of how hot or cold an object is.
The fever was evident from his high body temperature.
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Nov 16, 2023
Temperature
Temperature is the physical property that quantifies heat and cold.
The temperature of liquid nitrogen is extremely low.
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Nov 16, 2023
Temperature
A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a sample of matter, expressed in terms of units or degrees designated on a standard scale.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
The degree of heat in the body of a living organism, usually about 37.0°C (98.6°F) in humans.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
The warming of a room or building by a furnace or another source of energy
The house was cheap to rent, but the heat was expensive.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
An abnormally high condition of body heat caused by illness; a fever.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
A furnace or other source of warmth in a room or building
The heat was on when we returned from work.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
A measure of cold or heat, often measurable with a thermometer.
The boiling temperature of pure water is 100 degrees Celsius.
The temperature in the room dropped nearly 20 degrees; it went from hot to cold.
The most accurate way to take your temperature is by sticking a thermometer up your butt.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
An elevated body temperature, as present in fever and many illnesses.
You have a temperature. I think you should stay home today. You’re sick.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
(thermodynamics) A property of macroscopic amounts of matter that serves to gauge the average intensity of the random actual motions of the individually mobile particulate constituents. [http://arxiv.org/pdf/physics/0004055]
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
(obsolete) The state or condition of being tempered or moderated.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
The balance of humours in the body, or one's character or outlook as considered determined from this; temperament.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
Constitution; state; degree of any quality.
The best composition and temperature is, to have openness in fame and opinion, secrecy in habit, dissimulation in seasonable use, and a power to feign, if there be no remedy.
Memory depends upon the consistence and the temperature of the brain.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
Freedom from passion; moderation.
In that proud port, which her so goodly graceth,Most goodly temperature you may descry.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
Condition with respect to heat or cold, especially as indicated by the sensation produced, or by the thermometer or pyrometer; degree of heat or cold; as, the temperature of the air; high temperature; low temperature; temperature of freezing or of boiling.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
Mixture; compound.
Made a temperature of brass and iron together.
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
The degree of heat of the body of a living being, esp. of the human body; also (Colloq.), loosely, the excess of this over the normal (of the human body 98°-99.5° F., in the mouth of an adult about 98.4°).
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Oct 19, 2023
Temperature
The degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment (corresponding to its molecular activity)
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(Slang) Adverse comments or hostile criticism
Heat from the press forced the senator to resign.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(uncountable) Thermal energy.
This furnace puts out 5000 BTUs of heat.
That engine is really throwing off some heat.
Removal of heat from the liquid caused it to turn into a solid.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(uncountable) The condition or quality of being hot.
Stay out of the heat of the sun!
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(uncountable) An attribute of a spice that causes a burning sensation in the mouth.
The chili sauce gave the dish heat.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(uncountable) A period of intensity, particularly of emotion.
It's easy to make bad decisions in the heat of the moment.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(uncountable) An undesirable amount of attention.
The heat from her family after her DUI arrest was unbearable.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(uncountable) A condition where a mammal is aroused sexually or where it is especially fertile and therefore eager to mate; oestrus.
The male canines were attracted by the female in heat.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
In omegaverse fiction, a cyclical period in which omegas experience an intense, sometimes irresistible biological urge to mate.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(countable) A preliminary race, used to determine the participants in a final race
The runner had high hopes, but was out of contention after the first heat.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(countable) One cycle of bringing metal to maximum temperature and working it until it is too cool to work further.
I can make a scroll like that in a single heat.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(countable) A hot spell.
The children stayed indoors during this year's summer heat.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(uncountable) Heating system; a system that raises the temperature of a room or building.
I'm freezing; could you turn on the heat?
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(uncountable) The output of a heating system.
During the power outage we had no heat because the controls are electric.
Older folks like more heat than the young.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
To get a negative reaction from the audience, especially as a heel (or bad character).
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(transitive) To cause an increase in temperature of (an object or space); to cause to become hot often with "up".
I'll heat up the water.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
(intransitive) To become hotter.
There's a pot of soup heating on the stove.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
To excite ardour in; to rouse to action; to excite to excess; to inflame, as the passions.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
A force in nature which is recognized in various effects, but especially in the phenomena of fusion and evaporation, and which, as manifested in fire, the sun's rays, mechanical action, chemical combination, etc., becomes directly known to us through the sense of feeling. In its nature heat is a mode of motion, being in general a form of molecular disturbance or vibration. It was formerly supposed to be a subtile, imponderable fluid, to which was given the name caloric.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
The sensation caused by the force or influence of heat when excessive, or above that which is normal to the human body; the bodily feeling experienced on exposure to fire, the sun's rays, etc.; the reverse of cold.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
High temperature, as distinguished from low temperature, or cold; as, the heat of summer and the cold of winter; heat of the skin or body in fever, etc.
Else how had the world . . . Avoided pinching cold and scorching heat!
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
Indication of high temperature; appearance, condition, or color of a body, as indicating its temperature; redness; high color; flush; degree of temperature to which something is heated, as indicated by appearance, condition, or otherwise.
It has raised . . . heats in their faces.
The heats smiths take of their iron are a blood-red heat, a white-flame heat, and a sparkling or welding heat.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
A single complete operation of heating, as at a forge or in a furnace; as, to make a horseshoe in a certain number of heats.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
A violent action unintermitted; a single effort; a single course in a race that consists of two or more courses; as, he won two heats out of three.
Many causes . . . for refreshment betwixt the heats.
[He] struck off at one heat the matchless tale of "Tam o' Shanter."
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
Animation, as in discourse; ardor; fervency; as, in the heat of argument.
With all the strength and heat of eloquence.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
Sexual excitement in animals; readiness for sexual activity; estrus or rut.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
Strong psychological pressure, as in a police investigation; as, when they turned up the heat, he took it on the lam.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
To make hot; to communicate heat to, or cause to grow warm; as, to heat an oven or furnace, an iron, or the like.
Heat me these irons hot.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
To excite or make hot by action or emotion; to make feverish.
Pray, walk softly; do not heat your blood.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
To excite ardor in; to rouse to action; to excite to excess; to inflame, as the passions.
A noble emulation heats your breast.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
To grow warm or hot by the action of fire or friction, etc., or the communication of heat; as, the iron or the water heats slowly.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
To grow warm or hot by fermentation, or the development of heat by chemical action; as, green hay heats in a mow, and manure in the dunghill.
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
Applies to nonhuman mammals: a state or period of heightened sexual arousal and activity
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
A preliminary race in which the winner advances to a more important race
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
Utility to warm a building;
The heating system wasn't working
They have radiant heating
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
Arouse or excite feelings and passions;
The ostentatious way of living of the rich ignites the hatred of the poor
The refugees' fate stirred up compassion around the world
Wake old feelings of hatred
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Oct 19, 2023
Heat
Heat is energy transferred between substances due to a temperature difference.
The heat from the stove causes water in the pot to boil.
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Nov 16, 2023
Heat
Heat refers to the process of energy moving from a warmer to a cooler object.
Heat loss in a house during winter increases energy bills.
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Nov 16, 2023
Heat
Heat is the total energy of molecular motion in a substance.
Heat treatment alters the properties of metals.
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Nov 16, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
What is heat?
Heat is the energy transferred between substances because of a temperature difference.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
What units are used to measure heat?
Heat is measured in joules or calories.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
Can heat change the state of a substance?
Yes, heat can cause substances to change state, like melting or boiling.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
What units are used to measure temperature?
Temperature is measured in degrees Celsius, Fahrenheit, or Kelvin.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
Does temperature change indicate heat flow?
Yes, changes in temperature often indicate the flow of heat.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
Is it possible to have heat without temperature?
No, heat transfer is inherently linked to temperature differences.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
What is temperature?
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023
How does heat affect the temperature of a substance?
Heat can increase the temperature of a substance by increasing particle motion.
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Nov 17, 2023
How is heat related to temperature?
Heat is the transfer of energy due to a difference in temperature.
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Nov 17, 2023
Can temperature change without heat transfer?
No, temperature changes usually result from heat transfer.
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Nov 17, 2023
How do thermometers measure temperature?
Thermometers measure temperature based on the expansion of liquids or electronic sensors.
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Nov 17, 2023
Why is it important to understand heat and temperature?
Understanding heat and temperature is essential in fields like meteorology, cooking, and engineering.
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Nov 17, 2023
Is heat a form of energy?
Yes, heat is a form of energy associated with the movement of particles.
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Nov 17, 2023
Can two objects have the same temperature but different heat contents?
Yes, depending on their mass and specific heat capacity.
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Nov 17, 2023
What does a high temperature indicate about an object?
A high temperature indicates a higher average kinetic energy of particles.
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Nov 17, 2023
Does temperature measure heat content?
No, temperature measures the average kinetic energy, not total heat content.
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Nov 17, 2023
What causes heat to flow?
Heat flows due to a difference in temperature between two objects.
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Nov 17, 2023
Can a substance have high heat but low temperature?
Yes, such as in a large body of water which can store a lot of heat but have a moderate temperature.
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Nov 17, 2023
How is heat used in everyday life?
Heat is used in cooking, heating buildings, and numerous industrial processes.
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Nov 17, 2023
What role does temperature play in weather?
Temperature influences weather patterns, such as determining if it will rain or snow.
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Nov 17, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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