thermal

/'θə:məl/

Thân thiện

A bird soars on a thermal above the hills.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Caused by or designed to retain heat: Relating to or involving heat, especially as a form of energy or for the purpose of insulation.
   • Of or relating to a hot spring: Pertaining to naturally heated water from the earth.
   • Relating to or associated with heat: Concerning the temperature or the movement of heat energy.

2. Noun:

   • A rising current of warm air: A column of buoyant, heated air that rises in the atmosphere, often used by birds and glider pilots to gain altitude.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • She wore thermal underwear to stay warm in the cold weather.
  • The region is known for its thermal springs and spas.
  • Scientists studied the thermal properties of the new material.

• Noun:

  • The eagle soared effortlessly on a thermal.
  • Glider pilots search for thermals to extend their flight time.

Advanced Usage

• "Thermal imaging": A technique for creating an image using infrared radiation (heat) to see in the dark or detect temperature differences.

  • The rescue team used thermal imaging to locate the lost hiker at night.

• "Thermal equilibrium": A state where two objects in contact have the same temperature, so there is no net flow of heat between them.

  • After a few minutes, the coffee and the cup reached thermal equilibrium.

Variants and Related Words

• Thermally (adverb): In a way that relates to heat.

  • The suit is thermally insulated.

• Thermodynamics (noun): The branch of physics concerned with heat and temperature and their relation to energy and work.

• Thermometer (noun): An instrument for measuring temperature.

Synonyms

• Heat-related (adj): Pertaining to heat.
• Warm (adj): Having a moderately high temperature.
• Updraft (n): A current of rising air (similar to the noun form).

Related Phrases

• Thermal energy: The internal energy of a system due to the kinetic energy of its molecules.

  • The engine converts thermal energy into mechanical work.

• Thermal expansion: The tendency of matter to change in volume in response to a change in temperature.

  • Engineers must account for thermal expansion when building bridges.

Idioms

(No common idioms are directly formed with the word "thermal".)

Học thuật

Adjective

1. caused by or designed to retain heat
   • a thermal burn
   • thermal underwear
2. of or relating to a hot spring
   • thermal water
3. relating to or associated with heat
   • thermal movements of molecules
   • thermal capacity
   • thermic energy
   • the caloric effect of sunlight

Noun

1. rising current of warm air

Từ đồng nghĩa

• thermic
• caloric