- Temperature
- A measure of the degree of hotness of a body, related to the average kinetic energy of its particles; measured in degrees Celsius (°C) or kelvin (K).
- Heat
- The energy transferred between bodies because of a difference in temperature; a form of energy measured in joules (J).
- Thermal equilibrium
- The state reached when two bodies in contact are at the same temperature, so there is no net transfer of heat between them.
- Heat capacity
- The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of an object by 1 °C (or 1 K); measured in J °C⁻¹ or J K⁻¹.
- Specific heat capacity
- The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C (or 1 K); measured in J kg⁻¹ °C⁻¹.
- Latent heat
- The heat absorbed or released when a substance changes state without any change in temperature.
- Specific latent heat
- The heat needed to change the state of 1 kg of a substance without a change in temperature; measured in J kg⁻¹.
- Boyle's law
- For a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature, the pressure is inversely proportional to its volume (pressure × volume = constant).
- Charles's law
- For a fixed mass of gas at constant pressure, the volume is directly proportional to its absolute temperature.
- Pressure law
- For a fixed mass of gas at constant volume, the pressure is directly proportional to its absolute temperature.
- Absolute zero
- The lowest possible temperature, 0 K or about −273.15 °C, at which the particles of a substance have minimum kinetic energy.
- Absolute temperature scale
- The temperature scale that begins at absolute zero and is measured in kelvin (K), where a change of 1 K equals a change of 1 °C.
What "Heat" terms cover
This group collects the 12 SPM Physics terms in Heat. Getting these definitions exactly right is some of the cheapest marks in Paper 2, a "define" or "state" question wants one precise sentence with the correct unit.
The key terms to get right
- Temperature, A measure of the degree of hotness of a body, related to the average kinetic energy of its particles; measured in degrees Celsius (°C) or kelvin (K).
- Heat, The energy transferred between bodies because of a difference in temperature; a form of energy measured in joules (J).
- Thermal equilibrium, The state reached when two bodies in contact are at the same temperature, so there is no net transfer of heat between them.
- Heat capacity, The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of an object by 1 °C (or 1 K); measured in J °C⁻¹ or J K⁻¹.
- Specific heat capacity, The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1 °C (or 1 K); measured in J kg⁻¹ °C⁻¹.
- Latent heat, The heat absorbed or released when a substance changes state without any change in temperature.
- Specific latent heat, The heat needed to change the state of 1 kg of a substance without a change in temperature; measured in J kg⁻¹.
- Boyle's law, For a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature, the pressure is inversely proportional to its volume (pressure × volume = constant).
- Charles's law, For a fixed mass of gas at constant pressure, the volume is directly proportional to its absolute temperature.
- Pressure law, For a fixed mass of gas at constant volume, the pressure is directly proportional to its absolute temperature.
- Absolute zero, The lowest possible temperature, 0 K or about −273.15 °C, at which the particles of a substance have minimum kinetic energy.
- Absolute temperature scale, The temperature scale that begins at absolute zero and is measured in kelvin (K), where a change of 1 K equals a change of 1 °C.
How this vocabulary is examined
These terms appear as define/state items in Paper 1 and Paper 2, and inside explain and calculate questions where using the wrong word costs marks. Learn each term with its unit and one example of correct use.
Source: DSKP KSSM Physics Form 4 and 5 (Versi English) (Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum (BPK), KPM)