Thermal Energy and Heat Transfer
Specific heat capacity tells you how much energy you need to heat up different materials. Water has a massive specific heat capacity, which is why it's brilliant for cooling things down - it can absorb loads of thermal energy without getting too hot itself.
The formula ΔE = mcΔT helps you calculate energy changes. Here, m is mass, c is specific heat capacity, and ΔT is the temperature change. This equation pops up in loads of exam questions, so get familiar with it!
Latent heat is the sneaky energy that goes into changing states rather than changing temperature. When ice melts, it stays at exactly 0°C until every bit has turned to water - all that energy goes into breaking bonds between particles instead of heating things up.
Thermal energy always flows from hot objects to cool ones through three main methods. Conduction happens when energetic particles bash into their neighbours, passing energy along. Metals are ace at this because they have free electrons zipping about. Convection creates currents in fluids as hot, less dense regions rise and cool regions sink. Radiation doesn't need particles at all - it's infrared light that can even travel through space.
Key Insight: Your "radiator" at home actually works mainly by convection, not radiation - bit of a misleading name!
Good insulation uses trapped air pockets to stop conduction and convection, plus shiny surfaces to reflect radiation. That's why houses lose most heat through the roof - hot air rises!