Heat and temperature are related but distinct concepts in thermodynamics. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in an object, indicating how hot or cold it is. Heat, on the other hand, is the transfer of thermal energy from one object or system to another due to a temperature difference between them. In short:
- Temperature measures how hot or cold an object is based on particle motion (average kinetic energy), and is measured in degrees Celsius, Fahrenheit, or Kelvin.
- Heat is energy in transit, flowing from a hotter object to a cooler one, measured in joules.
Heat is a form of energy that can be transferred through conduction, convection, or radiation, while temperature is a property of an object itself, not energy in transfer. An object can have temperature, but heat refers only to energy being moved between objects due to their temperature difference.