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think_pink
Feb 20, 2007, 10:50 AM
So here a friend of mine is doing a project and she needs help

Thermal energy is an important source of heat in today's world given the price of oil and gas.

Research how thermal energy can heat your house or place of work? Where does this energy come from? How does the heating system work? Why is thermal energy important for the future of our country? Who is promoting thermal energy use?

Thanks what ever u guyz know will help my friend thanks

Capuchin
Feb 20, 2007, 11:14 AM
Hey, some of your questions show a lack of understanding to me, hopefully I can clear those up.

Firstly "thermal energy" is a poorly defined phrase, and isn't used in scientific context very often. Do you mean internal energy? Or do you mean heat?

I assume you mean internal energy, which can be measured as temperature.

How does it heat your place of work? Well the second law of thermodynamics states that heat flows from a hotter body to a cooler body, which means that it flows from a body with higher internal energy to one with a lower internal energy. This is why hot things get colder and cold things get hotter when you leave them at room temperature. So, in the case of a radiator, it had hot water in it, which transfers heat to the cold metal radiator, which then transfers heat to the air in the room.

Now, where does the energy comes from. Generally for a boiler that heats a house, there is some fuel that is used (gas, coal, wood) that is burnt, this turns the chemical energy stored in the fuel into heat energy, which is then absorbed into water and piped through your radiators to keep you warm.

Your other questions don't make much sense. Without "thermal energy" we would all be dead.

Hope this helps a little bit

think_pink
Feb 20, 2007, 04:26 PM
Hey thanks!! Can't wait to tell my friend! She'll be happy to see those

T-Top
Feb 22, 2007, 08:05 PM
Good question think_pink, and a good answer by capuchin. Are you asking about GEO-THERMAL? (using the eath as a heat exchanger)