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- 2071 Bhadra · 4 marks
- 2070 Bhadra · 4 marks
Heat transfer vs work transfer
Short answer
Heat transfer is boundary energy transfer due solely to temperature difference, disorganized and not fully convertible to work in a cycle. Work transfer is energy transfer from non-thermal potentials (e.g., force, pressure), organized and fully convertible to heat. Both are path functions; heat into system positive, work done by system positive.
Differentiate between heat transfer and work transfer.
| Basis | Heat transfer | Work transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Energy crossing the boundary due to temperature difference | Energy crossing the boundary due to any potential other than temperature (force × displacement, etc.) |
| Cause | Temperature difference | Force, pressure, voltage difference |
| Nature of energy | Disorganised (random molecular motion) | Organised (ordered motion) |
| Modes | Conduction, convection, radiation | Boundary work, shaft work, electrical work |
| Conversion | Cannot be fully converted into work in a cycle (Kelvin-Planck) | Can be fully converted to heat (e.g. friction) |
| Sign (standard) | Heat added to system +ve | Work done by system +ve |
| Symbol | Q (kJ), q = Q/m | W (kJ), w = W/m |
| Both are | Path functions; boundary phenomena; not properties | Path functions; boundary phenomena; not properties |
Example: heating water on a stove is heat transfer; a gas pushing a piston outward is work transfer.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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