Sources of Heat Energy and Electricity

Copper is a conductor of both thermal energy and electricity.

Heat, or thermal, energy is caused by the movement of molecules within a substance. Electricity is caused by the movement of negatively charged electrons among atoms as they search for positively charged protons.

Transfer of Thermal Energy

Thermal energy can be transferred through other types of energy. The heat caused by friction, for example, is caused by mechanical energy being transferred to thermal energy. Radiation is how thermal energy is transferred from one place to another, like the rays from the sun reaching the earth.

Convection and Conduction

Convection happens when the molecules in gasses and liquids heat up and rise. Conduction is when the molecules in solids, such as metals, transfer heat from one molecule to another and spread the heat through the material.

Static and Current Electricity

There are only two types of electricity: static and current. Static electricity is caused by friction. As two objects are rubbed together, their electrons are transferred, causing an electrical charge. Current electricity refers to the current of electrons as they flow through a conductor, such as copper.

References

• Types of Energy: Thermal Energy Explained
• Electricity Forum: Types of Electricity
• Energy Quest: The Energy Story