Misconception #1: Heat can travel from a cold object to a hot object
Fact: The truth behind this misconception is that heat always travels from an object of internal energy at higher temperature to object of internal energy of lower temperature. The reason why you may feel that when you touch a cold object, it transfers its coldness to you is because the object has less heat than you. This cold sensation that we get is due to heat leaving our bodies and entering the object of lower temperature (the cold object).
Misconception #2: Heat and temperature are equivalent
Fact: It is often believed that both heat and temperature mean the same thing. This is not the case as we can have an object of high temperature which possesses very little heat or an object of low temperature and a lot of heat. Recall that temperature is a property of a material and is defined by how fast molecules are moving within it whereas heat is a form of energy. We can measure the temperature using a thermometer whereas we cannot measure heat directly.
Misconception #3: Heat rises
Fact: As mentioned above, we defined heat as a property of a material and by how fast the molecules are moving within it. How can heat rise if it is a form of energy and is a property? Think about it in the sense that a property of a book is its solidity. Does this mean that solidity can rise? The same is applied to heat. Heat is not even a thing and hence does not and cannot rise, even if we could see it. It is a form of energy.
Misconception #4: Atoms get bigger when you heat them up
Fact: Atoms do not get bigger when they heat up, they only spread further apart when heated.
Check out this MP3 episode below which will further explain these misconceptions or click on the PDF which will link you to the transcript of the episode.
Fact: The truth behind this misconception is that heat always travels from an object of internal energy at higher temperature to object of internal energy of lower temperature. The reason why you may feel that when you touch a cold object, it transfers its coldness to you is because the object has less heat than you. This cold sensation that we get is due to heat leaving our bodies and entering the object of lower temperature (the cold object).
Misconception #2: Heat and temperature are equivalent
Fact: It is often believed that both heat and temperature mean the same thing. This is not the case as we can have an object of high temperature which possesses very little heat or an object of low temperature and a lot of heat. Recall that temperature is a property of a material and is defined by how fast molecules are moving within it whereas heat is a form of energy. We can measure the temperature using a thermometer whereas we cannot measure heat directly.
Misconception #3: Heat rises
Fact: As mentioned above, we defined heat as a property of a material and by how fast the molecules are moving within it. How can heat rise if it is a form of energy and is a property? Think about it in the sense that a property of a book is its solidity. Does this mean that solidity can rise? The same is applied to heat. Heat is not even a thing and hence does not and cannot rise, even if we could see it. It is a form of energy.
Misconception #4: Atoms get bigger when you heat them up
Fact: Atoms do not get bigger when they heat up, they only spread further apart when heated.
Check out this MP3 episode below which will further explain these misconceptions or click on the PDF which will link you to the transcript of the episode.