Thermal agitation

Definition

Thermal agitation is the random motion of particles within a material due to temperature. Higher temperatures increase the kinetic energy and thus the movement of these particles.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Thermal agitation increases with temperature, leading to more energetic particle motion.
2. It is a key factor in understanding thermal radiation and blackbody radiation.
3. In metals, thermal agitation contributes to electrical resistance by scattering conduction electrons.
4. Thermal agitation can cause noise in electronic circuits, often referred to as thermal noise or Johnson-Nyquist noise.
5. The amplitude of electromagnetic waves emitted by a substance depends on the level of thermal agitation within it.

Review Questions

• How does thermal agitation affect the behavior of particles in a material?
• What role does thermal agitation play in the generation of electromagnetic waves?
• Explain how thermal agitation can influence electronic devices and circuits.

Related terms

Blackbody Radiation: Radiation emitted by an idealized object that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation and re-emits it according to its temperature.

Johnson-Nyquist Noise: Electronic noise generated by the thermal agitation of charge carriers inside an electrical conductor at equilibrium.

Kinetic Energy: The energy possessed by an object due to its motion, directly related to temperature in the context of particles.