Differences Between Temperature and Heat

Temperature

• The degree of hotness or coldness
• Measure on a definite scale (Kelvin, Rankine, Celsius)
• Related to the average kinetic energy of a sample
• Temperature is independent of quantity
• Intrinsic property

Heat

• A form of energy
• Value of heat can change based on the amount of the sample
• When added to a sample, it can increase its temperature

Example

Match

Campfire

How would you cook a hotdog?

While heat from the match is too small, the heat from the campfire is sufficient to cook. Even though both the match and the campfire are at the same temperature the heat van be very different.

Temperature is a physical intrinsic characteristic. Heat, on the other hand, is a form of energy that can vary with sample size.