IB Physics B1 Definitions
This page contains our IB Physics definitions for B1. By learning each one of these definitions, you will fully cover the content for IB Physics 'Thermal energy transfers'.
Albedo
It is the the ratio of reflected power to total incident power
Black body
It is a perfect emitter, absorber, and radiator
Black body radiation
It is the radiation emitted from a black body
Conduction
It is the transfer of thermal energy via direct collisions between molecules, thus passing kinetic energy from one molecule to another
Convection
It is the movement of thermal energy in a fluid
Convection current
The cyclical movement of expanding and rising hot and less dense fluid and the condensation and sinking of cold and denser fluid
Emissivity
It is the ratio of emission intensity of the object to the emission intensity of a black body
heat
It is the total kinetic energy of all particles in an object
internal energy
It is the total energy of all particles in an object
Radiation
It is the emission of electromagnetic waves from an object
specific heat capacity
The measure of how much energy a unit mass of a substance takes to be raised by 1K/1°C
specific latent heat
It is the energy absorbed or released by a kg of a substance during a phase change
specific latent heat of fusion
It is the energy absorbed by a kg of substance when it changes from solid to liquid
specific latent heat of vaporization
It is the energy absorbed by a kg of substance when it changes from liquid to gas
temperature
It is the average kinetic energy of an object's particles
thermal capacity
It is the energy required to raise an object's temperature by 1 K
Thermal conductor
It is a material that is able to conduct thermal energy well
Thermal energy transfer
It is the movement of thermal energy from a hot object to a cold object
thermal equilibrium
It is the state at which two objects are at the same temperature
Thermal equilibrium
It is the state of absorbing power at the rate of emission to maintain a constant temperature
Thermal insulator
It is a material that is not able to conduct thermal energy well
Thermal radiation
It is the emission of infrared waves from an object
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