Field · Thermal

Thermal Physics

Heat, temperature, and the collective behaviour of countless particles — from the kinetic theory of gases to engines and entropy. Every experiment in this field is live.

All experiments in this field are live — click any card to explore.

Experiments

9 experiments + overview
Live

Kinetic Theory of Gases

Watch molecules collide and see temperature, pressure and the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution emerge.

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Live
hotcold

Heat Conduction

Hold a rod's ends at fixed temperatures and watch heat flow from hot to cold toward a steady gradient.

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Live
P–V cycle · work = area

Heat Engine & Carnot Cycle

Drive a gas around the four-stroke Carnot cycle and meet the ultimate limit on efficiency, η = 1 − T_C/T_H.

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Live

Entropy & Diffusion

Lift the partition between two gases and watch them mix irreversibly as entropy climbs.

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Live
ΔU=Q−W

First Law of Thermodynamics

Add heat and move the piston, and watch energy balance the books: ΔU = Q − W, with a live P–V trace.

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Overview

The 4 Modes of Heat Transfer

One animation each for conduction, convection, radiation and evaporation — see how heat actually moves.

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Live

Maxwell–Boltzmann Distribution

Watch colliding molecules thermalise into the classic bell curve of speeds — and heat the gas to slide it faster and wider.

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Live

The Gas Laws

Squeeze, heat, or add gas in a piston and watch PV = NkT play out as Boyle's, Charles's and Gay-Lussac's laws.

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Live

Blackbody Radiation

Slide the temperature and morph the Planck curve — Wien's peak shift and the T⁴ brightness surge, from ember to blue star.

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Live
meltboil

Phase Changes & Latent Heat

Heat ice to steam and watch the temperature stall on two plateaus — the latent heat of fusion and vaporisation.

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