31+ Thermal Energy Examples: Uses And Detailed Facts

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Thermal energy is the energy possessed by a body due to the virtue of the motion of its constituents. This energy can be seen everywhere around us. Such thermal energy examples are listed below.

A detailed explanation of thermal energy examples

Any object that radiates heat and can transfer generated heat to other bodies has thermal energy. The above-listed thermal energy examples are explained in this section.

Solar energy

Solar energy is the source of all energies. Sun radiates thermal energy, which keeps the whole atmosphere warm. Many activities on the earth take place due to thermal energy radiating from the sun.

Geothermal energy

Geothermal energy is the intense heat in the earth’s crust, which tends to flow continuously outward deep inside the earth. The generated heat in the primary core of the earth is in the form of the decay of radioactive elements.

Ice melting in a glass of water

If you put ice in a glass of water, the water gets a little colder, and ice begins to melt. In this case, the thermal energy of the water is transferred to the ice, so it begins to melt.

Baking in an oven

The oven is used for baking the food products. When you turn on your oven, the thermal energy created inside the oven makes the food be baked.

The heat from the heater

The heat from the heater is one of the best thermal energy examples. The heat radiated from the heater helps to keep the surroundings warm. This is most commonly used in cold countries.

A cup of hot chocolate

If you pour hot chocolate into a cup, the thermal energy of the hot chocolate is transferred to the cup also, making the cup attain thermal energy.

The heat from the ocean

The thermal energy of the ocean can be exploited by knowing the temperature difference between shallow and deep water. Ocean thermal energy conservation is a new technique that promotes the proper utilization of the heat from the ocean.

Fuel cells

The fuel cells consist of thermal energy due to chemical reactions. The chemical reaction between the two electrodes is intended to produce charged particles, generating heat. The heat thus produced by charged particles can be further harnessed for future use.

File:Fuel Cell Block Diagram.svg - Wikipedia
Block diagram of a fuel cell
Image credits: Wikipedia

Barbeque grills

The barbeque grills can generate thermal energy when the propane is burnt. These grills can cook the food items from the radiated heat from it.

Computers, when they turned on

When the computer system is turned on, the components inside the computer heat up because thermal energy is transferred to the components, the heat thus generated must be cooled down so that a small fan is installed inside the system.

Burner of the stovetop

The stovetop’s burner is the source of thermal energy when it is hot. Anything placed on the stovetop acquires heat and becomes the source of thermal energy.

Fire from the matchsticks

When the matchsticks strike over the side surface consisting of red phosphorus, binder, and glass powder, the sticks catch fire, which has a huge amount of thermal energy.

Automobile fuels

The automobile fuels such as gasoline have thermal energy when it is ignited for internal combustion.

A toaster

When the toaster is turned on, the bread pieces turn into toast because of the thermal energy generated in the toaster. The radiated heat energy absorbs the moisture from the bread, and thus the toast is crispy.

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Toasters as thermal energy examples
Image credits: Pixabay

The human body as thermal energy examples

The human body itself is a thermal energy source; if you hold an object, your body temperature is transferred to them. Thus the human body has the ability to warm other objects.

Bathtub filled with hot water

A bathtub filled with hot water contains thermal energy, which is enough to warm up the cold body, and it is most comfortable during winter.

The heat contained in a hot pizza piece

A hot pizza piece stores the thermal energy, which is enough to hurt the mouth.

Pizza Pepperoni Ham - Free image on Pixabay, thermal energy examples
Pizza pieces as thermal energy examples
Image credits: Pixabay

Warm animal’s body

Warm animals, such as cats, are the source of thermal energy that radiates heat when it sits on a person’s lap. He can feel its warmth even after some time if it gets up from his lap.

Steam turbine

Steam turbines store thermal energy, which can convert into another form of energy for future advantage.

Ironing the clothes

When the iron box is turned on, it carries thermal energy, which is used to press clothes. The heated iron box runs over the clothes; it helps to finish the seams.

Warmth receives from the sun.

If you sit under the sun for some time, you feel warm. The warmth you receive is the thermal energy radiated from the sun.

Lava from volcano

Lava erupts from the volcano and stores a massive amount of thermal energy in it; when the temperature inside the crust increases, volcanoes erupt.

Arenal volcano by night, Costa Rica | Gregoire Dubois | Flickr
Volcanoes as thermal energy examples
Image credits: Flickr

Friction between two objects

When two solids slide over one another, friction is created. The friction thus created has a small amount of thermal energy in it.

Burning a candle

When the candle is burnt, it has thermal energy, which helps to melt the wax.

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Candle burning as thermal energy examples
Image credits: Wikimedia commons

Warm receive from refrigerator or AC condenser coil

The outer surface of the refrigerator and AC condenser coil is generally hot because of radiated thermal energy from them.

Fireworks or crackers

The firecrackers consisted a lot of thermal energy in them when they are ignited.

Thermal soaring

The uneven distribution of heat in the atmosphere leads to the generation of warm current where there is more temperature. This process is called thermal soaring.

Pressure cookers

The thermal energy that exists inside the pressure cooker is responsible for the creation of pressure in it, which cooks the food.

Windmills

The rotation of fans of the windmill is associated with temperature and pressure. The thermal energy carried by the wind is one of the reasons the fan rotates.

Lightning

A flash of lightning can store a huge amount of thermal energy in it. So when the lighting strikes, it can cause things to catch fire or electric charges to break out.

Rocket engine

A successful rocket launching requires a huge amount of fuel to be burnt, which carries a tremendous amount of thermal energy in it.

Thermal energy uses

Thermal energy in an object can be used for various purposes to run our daily life. Some of such uses are listed below.

Generate power for automobiles

The thermal energy from the fuel has the ability to generate the power which can run the automobiles.

Production of electricity

Steam turbines are used to generate electricity. The thermal energy in the water produces steam which strikes the turbine and makes them rotate; thus, electricity is generated.

Used in cooking

The food needs to be cooked before eating them. Thermal energy is the energy involved in the process of cooking food.

Baking

Some of the food items need to be baked in microwave ovens. The thermal energy produced by microwaves falls on the food and is baked.

Open electric oven with baking tray and cake dough | Flickr
Baking in a oven Image credits: Flickr

Water heating

Solar water heaters, steam boilers, and other devices are used to boil the water, which is carried by transferring thermal energy.

Used in the drying process

Drying the clothes is the best use of thermal energy. The thermal energy from the sun or carried by wind helps the clothes to dry.

Pressing and ironing

Pressing and ironing the closet is done by heating the iron box, which is nothing but thermal energy.

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Pressing of cloth
Image credits: Wikimedia commons

Preserving food

Some of the food items are preserved by boiling or keeping them in the refrigerator, which is done by thermal energy.

Recycling the plastics

The recycling of the plastic is done by melting them. The melting is done by transferring the heat to the plastic. So recycling plastic is done in the presence of thermal energy.

Incinerators for burning wastes

An incinerator is a large furnace that is used to burn waste products. Modern incinerators are used to clean the fuel gas pieces of equipment.

Gold mining

In the extraction process of gold from its ore, thermal energy is used. Geothermal energy is used to heat the cyanide circuit.

Milk pasteurizing

Milk pasteurizing is a technique of heating chilled raw milk at 71.1°c for at least about 15 seconds and less than 25 seconds.

Food dehydrating

Food dehydration is the process of removing the moisture from the food product by the application of thermal energy.

Heating and cooling of the building

To keep the building warm during winter and cold during summer is done by passive solar heating technique and also some electric cooler and heaters are available in the market.

Construction of bridges

Bridges normally expand and contract with respect to the atmospheric temperature. So bridges are constructed using the thermal energy principles.

Manufacturing of ceramics, tiles, and bricks

In the manufacturing of ceramics, tiles, and bricks, thermal energy is used to harden the material.

Production of paper

In producing papers from wood, a large amount of thermal energy is used to burn the wood and extract paper from it.

Petroleum refineries

In petroleum refineries, the process of cracking, reforming, and treating is done by thermal energy in the form of steam or by direct combustion.

Thermal energy used in pump mills

In the pump mills, thermal energy is essential to dry the product, which is done through hot air or steam.

Catalytic reforming

Catalytic reforming is a process of converting low octane gasoline and naphthas into high octane aromatics by dehydrogenating the naphthas, which takes place by thermal energy as a catalyst.

Manufacturing of steel

Extraction of steel from iron ore requires a large amount of thermal energy by smelting them with limestone or coke.

Ethanol distillation

In the process of ethanol distillation, thermal energy is used in the form of steam, and also pretreatment, drying, and conditioning of corn are required.

Polymer industry

In the polymer industry, some of the byproducts like plastic and rubber adhesives are manufactured using thermal energy.

Manufacturing of fertilizers

In the manufacturing of nitrogen fertilizers from ammonia and ammonium nitrate, thermal energy is used under high pressure.

Corn wet milling

To break corn kernels to give corn oil, corn starch, and fibers, thermal energy is used.

Blanching process

Blanching is the process of irradiation of low thermal on the vegetable and fruits to preserve them from ripening.

Production of potash

In the production of potash, thermal energy is applied to the chemicals through electrolysis to break them into water-soluble ash.

Incandescent bulb

The incandescent bulbs lightened up due to the generation of heat in the filament by the flow of electric current.

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Incandescent bulb
Image credits: Wikimedia commons

Constructing road

In road construction, asphalt and road oils are heated up and pressed on the road when it is hot to create tarmac.

Hairdryers and straighteners

The drying and straightening of hair are done by the generation of heat from the dryers and straighteners.

Solar-powered desalination

Solar-powered desalination is a technique of separation of salt and water from the seawater by means of solar thermal energy.

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