Thermal Physics

Welcome to the GCSE Physics Ninja Thermal Physics course.

These video lessons are based on question-and-answer flashcards. You can either make your own or download the printable flashcards from the shop.

Particles and Internal EnergyMeasuring Heat
1. Brownian Motion35. What is the Specific Heat Capacity of a substance?
2. States of matter36. Electric storage heaters
3. The energy of gases, solids and liquids37. Specific heat capacity calculation
4. Temperature, particles and internal energy38. Specific heat capacity experiment
5. What happens when you heat a substance?39. Thermal capacity of a material
6. Gas in a container40. Thermal Capacity vs Specific Heat Capacity
7. Heating solids, liquids and gases41. Thermal capacity calculation
8. Thermal expansion examplesEvaporation, Condensation and Latent Heat
9. Relative expansion of solids, liquids and gases42. How evaporation causes cooling
10. Compressing a gas at a constant temperature43. Factors affecting the rate of evaporation
11. Heating a gas at a constant pressure44. The differences between boiling and evaporation
12. Temperature and physical properties45. Condensation, particles and heat transfer
13. The liquid-in-glass thermometer46. Factors affecting the rate of condensation
14. Thermometers and temperature47. Changing state
15. Sensitivity, range and linearity of measuring instruments48. Melting and boiling
16. The sensitivity, range and linearity of a liquid-in-glass thermometer49. Melting ice - heating graph
17. Structure and advantages of a thermocouple50. Latent heat - temperature vs time graph heating ice
18. Pressure vs. volume for a gas - equation51. Specific latent heat of vaporisation - experiment
19. Gas pressure and volume calculation52. Specific latent heat of fusion - experiment
Radiation, Conduction and Convection53. Specific Latent Heat of Fusion - calculation
20. Heat energy travels through space
21. Surface colour and texture matters
22. Infrared emission experiment
23. Infrared absorption experiment
24. Factors affecting infra-red emission
25. How does energy travel through a solid?
26. Rate of heat transfer between two objects
27. Heat conductivity experiments
28. Heat transfer in fluids
29. Heat transfer uses and everyday examples
30. Keeping objects cool
31. How to keep objects warm
32. The design features of the Thermos flask
33. How to reduce heat loss from your house (and save on your heating bills!)
34. Material U-values

What will I learn in this course?

When you have completed this course, you will be able to...

  • Understand what thermal energy is and how it can transfer from one place to another
  • Describe experiments to investigate heat transfer by radiation
  • Explain the particle model of matter and describe how thermal energy affects the different states of matter.
  • Give everyday practical examples of heat transfer in action.
  • Describe and explain how to keep objects cool, or hot
  • Understand the specific heat capacity and thermal capacity of a material
  • Carry out calculations using specific heat capacity
  • Understand the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of measuring instruments, for example thermometers
  • Carry out calculations involving specific latent heat when matter changes state.