Heat balance is when the amount of heat entering a system is equal to the amount leaving it, keeping the overall temperature stable. This is important in biology, geology, manufacturing, and spacecraft design. Animals and machines need to maintain thermal equilibrium, and a planet’s heat balance affects its temperature and inhabitants. Factories should consider heat balance to reduce operating costs.
The heat balance is obtained when the amount of heat entering a system is equal to the amount of heat leaving it. The overall temperature of a system in heat balance remains stable over time. In some cases, the term energy balance may be used instead. Systems in the fields of biology, geology, manufacturing and spacecraft design often need to be kept at stable temperatures to function properly.
Homeostasis in animals includes the concept of keeping the animal’s core temperature relatively stable. In many organisms, including mammals and birds, the amount of heat that exists within the organism must remain constant because even slight fluctuations in heat can cause the organism to die. Animals lose heat through their skin and generate heat through their metabolism to compensate for rising and falling external temperatures. When the amount of heat radiating from the animal and the amount of heat generated or absorbed by the animal are relatively equal, that animal is in a state of thermal equilibrium.
In geology, the term heat balance refers to the amount of heat absorbed and released by an entire planet. A planet is heated by the sun and, to a small extent, by the release of magma from the planet’s core. The planet radiates some of that heat into space. Heat balance is a geologically important concept because if the planet is not in a state of relative heat equilibrium, average temperatures can rise or fall, creating either global warming or global cooling. Even a slight change in a planet’s heat balance can affect the organisms that inhabit it.
Thermal equilibrium is an important concept in engineering because many machines will only operate within a certain range of temperatures. Devices called heat sinks are used to help radiate excess heat away from electrical components so machines can maintain a stable temperature. Similarly, spacecraft need to maintain relatively stable temperatures but are exposed to more heat as they move towards a heat source, such as the sun or a planet. Designing these craft with adaptive heat balance systems allows them to continue operating as they travel through space.
When engineers design factories, the heat balance of factory operations must be taken into consideration. In many cases, heat is emitted from a factory in the form of smoke or steam. This can waste energy that the factory could recycle, helping to reduce operating costs. A factory with a good heat balance finds a use for most of the additional heat it creates.
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