MODELING Model Examples of Energy Flow What's the difference between something hot and something cold? At the level of atoms and molecules, the answer is very simple. The particles that make up an object are always vibrating. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the object's vibrating particles, excluding the kinetic energy of the whole object moving (objects are not hotter simply because they are traveling). The particles of a warmer object move faster than particles of the same material in a cooler object. When the objects contact each other, their energy spreads and redistributes until all of the particles vibrate with the same kinetic energy, meaning the temperature is the same, this is equilibrium. develop and Use Your Model of Energy Flow 1. SEP Develop Models Use the space to develop your ideas for a model of the energy changes that occur when a warmer object comes in contact with a cooler object. Be sure to consider the following: • Your model should show the motions of particles and how they change over time. • Your model should use labels and arrows to identify its parts. • Your model should describe the process of energy flow due to a temperature difference.
