Class VII Subject: Science(Biology) Chapter 4: Heat

CHAPTER 4. HEAT

NOTES

Section Name Topic Name

4.1 HEAT AND COLD
4.2 MEASURING TEMPERATURE
4.3 LABORATORY THERMOMETER
4.4 TRANSFER OF HEAT
4.5 KINDS OF CLOTHES WE WEAR IN SUMMER AND WINTER
4.6 WOOLLEN CLOTHES KEEP US WARM IN WINTER
We wear woollen clothes during winters when it is cold outside. Woollen clothes keep us warm. We prefer to
wear light coloured cotton clothes when it is hot. These give us a feeling of coolness.
HEAT AND COLD
When a hot object and a cold object come in contact with each other, a type of energy flows from the hot object
to the colder one. This energy is called heat energy. The SI unit of heat is Joule (J).
Calorie is the older metric unit.
Table: Hot and cold objects

Temperature
The degree of hotness or coldness of an object is called its temperature. The SI unit of temperature is Kelvin
(K). The instrument used to measure temperature is called a thermometer.
MEASURING TEMPERATURE
• The commonly used clinical thermometer is made up of a narrow tube (capillary) of thick glass.
• At the end of the capillary tube is a thin glass bulb filled with mercury.
• Mercury is preferred in thermometers because it is present in liquid state over a wide range of temperatures. It
is a silvery grey in colour, therefore it is relatively easy to observe. It does not stick to the glass in which it is
enclosed.
• The clinical thermometer is designed to measure the temperature of human body only. The temperature of
human body normally does not go below 35°C or above 42°C. That is the reason that this thermometer has the
range 35°C to 42°C.
• The clinical thermometer is marked to indicate a small change of 0.2 degree Celsius.
• The capillary tube of a clinical thermometer has a kink or bend that does not allow the mercury to flow back
into the bulb before the temperature has been read.
• To lower the level of mercury, the thermometer has to be given a firm jerk.

While using a clinical thermometer, the following precautions should be taken:

• Thermometer should be washed before and after use, preferably with an antiseptic solution.
• Ensure that before use the mercury level is below 35°C.
• Read the thermometer keeping the level of mercury along the line of sight.
• Handle the thermometer with care. If it hits against some hard object, it can break.
Digital thermometer:
• Nowadays, digital thermometers are used to measure body temperature.
• They work on tiny dry cells.
• It is a safer device because it does not contain mercury which is a toxic substance.
Shayar Singh, PGT – Biology. Kendriya Vidyalaya, Khargone
Class VII Subject: Science(Biology) Chapter 4: Heat

Fig: Digital Thermometer

LABORATORY THERMOMETER
• A laboratory thermometer is made up of a glass tube.
• It has a glass work with mercury which on gaining heat rises in the glass capillary of the tube.
• The range of temperature that laboratory thermometers can measure is between -10 degree Celsius to 110 degree
Celsius.
In addition to the precautions to be taken while reading a clinical thermometer, the laboratory thermometer:
1. It should be kept upright not tilted.
2. The bulb should be surrounded from all sides by the substance of which the temperature is to be measured.
The bulb should not touch the surface of the container.

Fig: Laboratory Thermometer

TRANSFER OF HEAT
Heat energy always flows from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature, till both attain
the same temperature. This phenomenon is called transfer of heat.
The main ways by which transfer of heat occurs are Conduction, Convection and radiation.
Conduction
Conduction is the transfer of heat from a hotter part to a colder part of an object due to collision of its particle
without actual movement of the particles from their position. Heat transfer through conduction occurs within
solids and between solid substances that are in direct contact with each other. It occurs within minutes.
How does conduction of heat occur?
• In a solid, the molecules are closed arranged. When a solid is heated, the molecules near the source of heat gain
thermal energy and begin to vibrate faster.
• These molecules then collide with the colder slower molecules and transfer some thermal energy, making them
vibrate faster, become warm and then in turn collide and transfer the heat to their neighbouring particles and so
on
• In this way, heat is transferred from one particle to the next through collision of vibrating particles within
substances.

Fig: Conduction of heat by different materials

Good and Poor conductors of heat:
The rate of conduction of heat is different in different solids.
Shayar Singh, PGT – Biology. Kendriya Vidyalaya, Khargone
Class VII Subject: Science(Biology) Chapter 4: Heat

Materials which allow the conduction of heat easily are called conductors. Metals are usually good conductors
of heat.
Materials that do not allow the conduction of heat are called insulators. For example, wood, cotton rubber, clay
and cock. Air and water are also insulators of heat. Materials such as wool, feather and fur act as insulators
because air is trapped inside their fibres.
Practical application of conduction:
1. Pans used for cooking are usually made of metals such as steel, copper or aluminium (good conductors), while
their handles are made of plastic (insulator).
2. Clothes made of fur trap air inside them and this trapped air then acts as an insulator. It prevents heat from
escaping, keeping our body warm.
Convection
Convection is the transfer of heat by the movement of particles. Convection is the primary mode of heat transfer
in fluids (liquid and gases).

Fig: Convection of heat in water Fig: Transfer of heat by convection in air

How does convection take place?
Convection currents:
• When a liquid or gas is heated it expands. As a result, it becomes lighter and moves upwards.
• The cooler, heavier fluid from the surroundings rushes to take its place and is heated in turn.
• This process continues and gives rise to a convection current through which heat energy flows and the entire
liquid or gas gets heated.
Convection currents give rise to Breeze in coastal regions.
During the day, the land heats up faster than the sea. So, the air above the land becomes warmer and rises upwards.
The cooler air from above the sea rushes towards the land and takes its place, resulting in a sea breeze during the
day.
At night, the land cools faster. Therefore, the air above the sea is warmer than the air over the land. At night,
cooler air from the land replaces the warmer air above the sea resulting in a land breeze.

Fig: Sea breeze and Land breeze

Shayar Singh, PGT – Biology. Kendriya Vidyalaya, Khargone
Class VII Subject: Science(Biology) Chapter 4: Heat

Practical application of conduction:

1. Exhaust fans in kitchens are always fitted high, close to the ceiling so that they can remove the hot air that
rises up.
2. Room heaters are placed on the floor of a room. When the cool air is heated, it rises up and the cold air flows
down to the floor. This results in effective heating of the entire room.
3. The ventilators of a room at the top of a window or the door. This is because when the air in the room gets
heated, it rises and passes out from the ventilators at the top.
Radiation
• The transfer of heat in the form of rays, for which a medium is not required is called radiation. These waves can
move through vacuum.
• When we sit in front of a room heater, we get heat by this process. A hot utensil kept away from the flame cools
down as it transfers heat to the surroundings by radiation. Our body too, gives heat to the surroundings and
receives heat from it by radiation.
Practical application of radiation:
1. Solar heaters are designed to use the heat energy from the sun for cooking food.
2. We prefer wearing light colored clothes in summer because light colors are poor absorbers of heat. Conversely,
we prefer wearing dark- colored clothes in winter because they are good absorbers of heat and thus, keep us
warm.
KINDS OF CLOTHES WE WEAR IN SUMMER AND WINTER
• In summer we prefer light-coloured clothes and in winter we usually wear dark-coloured clothes.
• Dark surfaces absorb more heat and, therefore, we feel comfortable with dark coloured clothes in the winter.
Light coloured clothes reflect most of the heat that falls on them and, therefore, we feel more comfortable
wearing them in the summer.
Woollen clothes keep us warm in winter
In the winter, we use woollen clothes. Wool is a poor conductor of heat. Moreover, there is air trapped in between
the wool fibres. This air prevents the flow of heat from our body to the cold surroundings. So, we feel warm.
NCERT EXERCISE SOLUTIONS
Question 1: State similarities and differences between the laboratory thermometer and the clinical
thermometer.
ANSWER: Similarities: (i) Both clinical and laboratory thermometers have long, narrow, uniform glass tubes.
(ii) The bulbs of both the thermometers have mercury in them.
Differences: (i) The temperature range of clinical thermometers is from 35°C to 42°C while that of laboratory
thermometer is from −10°C to 110°C.
(ii) Clinical thermometer is used to measure the temperature of a human body. However, laboratory thermometer
cannot be used to measure the temperature of a human body.
(iii) The least count of both the thermometers differs.
(iv) Unlike clinical thermometer that can be tilted, laboratory thermometer is kept upright while reading the
temperature values.
Question 2: Give two examples each of conductors and insulators of heat.
ANSWER: Two examples of conductors of heat are: (i) Aluminium (ii) Iron
Two examples of insulators of heat are: (i) Wood (ii) Plastic
Question 3: Fill in the blanks:
(a) The hotness of an object is determined by its __ __.
(b) Temperature of boiling water cannot be measured by a __ __ thermometer.
(c) Temperature is measured in degree ___ _.
(d) No medium is required for transfer of heat by the process of ___ _.
(e) A cold steel spoon is dipped in a cup of hot milk. It transfers heat to its other end by the process of __ _ _.
(f) Clothes of ___ _ colours absorb heat better than clothes of light colours.
ANSWER: (a) The hotness of an object is determined by its __temperature__.
(b) Temperature of boiling water cannot be measured by a __clinical__ thermometer.
(c) Temperature is measured in degree __Celsius__.
(d) No medium is required for transfer of heat by the process of __radiation__.
(e) A cold steel spoon is dipped in a cup of hot milk. It transfers heat to its other end by the process
of __conduction__.
(f) Clothes of __dark__ colours absorb heat better than clothes of light colours.

Shayar Singh, PGT – Biology. Kendriya Vidyalaya, Khargone

Class VII Subject: Science(Biology) Chapter 4: Heat

Question 4: Match the following:

(i) Land breeze blows during (a) summer
(ii) Sea breeze blows during (b) winter
(iii) Dark coloured clothes are preferred during (c) day
(iv) Light coloured clothes are preferred during (d) night
ANSWER:
(i) Land breeze blows during (d) night
(ii) Sea breeze blows during (c) day
(iii) Dark coloured clothes are preferred during (b) winter
(iv) Light coloured clothes are preferred during (a) summer
Question 5: Discuss why wearing more layers of clothing during winters keeps us warmer than wearing
just one thick piece of clothing.
ANSWER: During winters, we prefer wearing more layers of clothing than just one thick piece of clothing
because air gets trapped in between the various clothing layers. Being a poor conductor of heat, air prevents heat
loss from our body. Hence, layers of clothing keep us warmer than a single layer.
Question 6: Look at Figure. Mark where the heat is being transferred by conduction, by convection and
by radiation.

ANSWER: (i) Transfer of heat from burner to pan is by radiation.

(ii) Transfer of heat from pan to water is by conduction.
(iii) Transfer of heat within water is by convection.
Question 7: In places of hot climate it is advised that the outer walls of houses be painted white. Explain.
ANSWER: In places of hot climate, it is advised to paint the outer walls of houses as white because a light colour
such as white reflects back most of the heat that falls on it. Hence, a light colour tends to keep the house cool.
Question 8: One litre of water at 30°C is mixed with one litre of water at 50°C. The temperature of the
mixture will be
(a) 80°C (b) more than 50°C but less than 80°C (c) 20°C (d) between 30°C and 50°C
ANSWER: (d) The temperature of the mixture will be between 30°C and 50°C.
Question 9: An iron ball at 40°C is dropped in a mug containing water at 40°C. The heat will
(a) flow from iron ball to water. (b) not flow from iron ball to water or from water to iron ball.
(c) flow from water to iron ball. (d) increase the temperature of both.
ANSWER: (b) The heat will not flow from iron ball to water or from water to iron ball as both the substances
have same temperature.
Question 10: A wooden spoon is dipped in a cup of ice cream. Its other end
(a) becomes cold by the process of conduction. (b) becomes cold by the process of convection.
(c) becomes cold by the process of radiation. (d) does not become cold.
ANSWER: (d) Its other end does not become cold as wood is a bad conductor of heat.
Question 11: Stainless steel pans are usually provided with copper bottoms. The reason for this could be
that
(a) copper bottom makes the pan more durable.
(b) such pans appear colourful.
(c) copper is a better conductor of heat than the stainless steel.
(d) copper is easier to clean than the stainless steel.
ANSWER: (c) The reason for this is that copper is a better conductor of heat than stainless steel.

Shayar Singh, PGT – Biology. Kendriya Vidyalaya, Khargone