Can you have a high temperature with very little heat?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relationship between temperature and heat, specifically addressing the scenario where a high temperature can exist with minimal heat. Temperature is defined as the average kinetic energy of molecules, while heat refers to the total kinetic energy. Theoretical considerations suggest that if a single molecule remains in a vacuum, its speed could result in a high temperature despite low total kinetic energy. The conversation also touches on quantum physics, noting that temperature does not equate to average kinetic energy in quantum systems, such as an ideal Fermi gas.

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  • Understanding of classical thermodynamics concepts, particularly temperature and heat.
  • Familiarity with quantum physics principles, especially the behavior of ideal Fermi gases.
  • Knowledge of kinetic theory and its implications in different states of matter.
  • Basic grasp of astrophysical phenomena, such as the intracluster medium and its properties.
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  • Research the principles of kinetic theory and its application in thermodynamics.
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Physicists, thermodynamics students, quantum mechanics enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the nuances of temperature and heat in both classical and quantum contexts.

MaxKang
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From what I know, temperature is defined to be the average kinetic energy of molecules within a system while heat is said to be the total kinetic energy of molecules.

I know this might be something we can never achieve in real life but here's how my thought process went.

Imagine you have a box with radiation shielding such that there is no radiation process involved. If you can somehow suck out all the molecules leaving just one molecule behind, depending on how slow or fast this molecule travels you can have very little "total kinetic energy" with quite high temperature(average kinetic energy). I guess when the molecule bounces off the wall there could be a sudden change in temperature.

I am aware that temperature is only defined when you have a reasonable amount of molecules but if we can somehow come up with the setting I mentioned, then what happens in real life? do we feel hot? cold?
 
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MaxKang said:
From what I know, temperature is defined to be the average kinetic energy of molecules within a system while heat is said to be the total kinetic energy of molecules.

Temperature only equals average kinetic energy (with some caveats) in classical physics. This is not so in quantum physics. Example - ideal Fermi gas.
 
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akhmeteli said:
Temperature only equals average kinetic energy (with some caveats) in classical physics. This is not so in quantum physics. Example - ideal Fermi gas.
But we still should be able to sense how "cold" or "hot" it feels to be in that environment should we not? Does the quantum theory predict that we will indeed feel cold in an environment where there is only a very little amount of molecules?
 

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