See also cold; fire
actinism
the ability of light and heat and other forms of radiant energy to cause chemical changes, as hormonal changes in birds causing them to migrate or brood. —actinic, adj.
adiathermancy
imperviousness to radiant heat or infrared radiation. Also called athermancy.
athermancy
adiathermancy.
calorimetry
the science of measuring heat. —calorimeter, n. —calorimetric, adj.
calorist
Rare. one who believed the caloric theory, that heat is a material substance. —caloristic, adj.
galvanothermy
the process of generating heat by means of an electric current.
geothermometry
the branch of geology that measures temperatures deep below the surface of the earth; geologic thermometry.
pyrogenesis
the production or generation of heat. —pyrogenetic, adj.
pyrolysis
the chemical process of decomposition under the effect of heat. —pyrolitic, adj.
pyrophotometer
a type of pyrometer that measures temperature optically or photometrically.
tepidity
a moderate warmth; lukewarmness. —tepid, adj.
thermatology
Medicine. the study of heat as a medical remedy or therapy. Also called thermotherapy.
thermionics
the science or study of the emission of electrons from substances at high temperatures. —thermionic, adj.
thermochemistry
the branch of chemistry that studies the relationship of heat to chemical changes, including the production of energy. —thermochemist, n. —thermochemical, adj.
thermodynamics
the branch of physics that studies the relationship of heat and mechanical energy and the conversion, in various materials, of one into the other. —thermodynamicist, n. —thermodynamic, thermodynamical, adj.
thermogenesis
the production of heat, especially in an animal body by physiological processes. —thermogenic, thermogenous, adj.
thermography
1. Engineering, a method of measuring surf ace temperatures by using luminescent materials.
2. a printing or photocopying process using infrared rays and heat.
3. a process of photography using far-infrared radiation; thermal photography. —thermographer, n. —thermographic, adj.
thermokinematics
the study of the movement of heat. —thermokinematic, adj.
thermology
Archaic. the science and study of heat. Also called thermotics.
thermoluminescence
Atomic Physics. any luminescence appearing in materials upon application of heat, caused by electron movement which increases as the temperature rises. —thermoluminescent, adj.
thermolysis
Physiology. the dispersion of heat from the body. —thermolytic, adj.
thermometry
the branch of physics that deals with the measurement of temperature. —thermometric, adj.
thermophobia
an abnormal fear of heat.
thermoscope
a device for giving an approximation of the temperature change of a substance by noting the accompanying change in its volume. —thermoscopic, adj.
thermostatics
the science or study of the equilibrium of heat.
thermotaxis
1. Biology. the movement of an organism toward or away from a source of heat.
2. Physiology. the regulation of body temperature by various physiological processes. —thermotactic, thermotaxic, adj.
thermotherapy
thermatology.
thermotics
thermology.
transcalency
the property or quality by which matter permits the passage of heat. —transcalent, adj.
