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How Does Heat Move? — Reading Comprehension

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MS-PS3
HS-PS3
RI.6.3
RI.7.1

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This engaging middle school science passage introduces students to the basic principles of heat transfer, aligning with NGSS standards for energy and matter. The passage covers the three main methods of heat movement: conduction, convection, and radiation, using easy-to-understand examples like a spoon in soup and sunlight on skin. It enhances reading comprehension and supports science learning through clear explanations and a fun fact about penguins. Ideal for helping students master key science concepts and improve their understanding of energy transfer in real-world situations.

CONTENT PREVIEW

Have you ever touched a metal spoon left in a hot bowl of soup? It feels warm, right? That’s because heat moves from one place to another. This movement is called heat transfer.

Heat always flows from something hot to something cold. There are three main ways that heat can move: conduction, convection, and radiation.

Conduction happens when heat moves through something solid. Think about that hot spoon again. The soup heats the end of the spoon in the bowl. Then the heat travels through the spoon to your hand. Metals are good at conduction.

Convection happens in liuids and gases. When water boils in a pot, the hot water at the bottom rises, and the cooler water at the top sinks. This makes a circular motion. That motion moves the heat around. This is how warm air moves through your home with a heater or fan.

Radiation is heat that travels in waves. You don’t need anything solid or liuid for this. The Sun warms the Earth using radiation. You can feel radiation when you sit near a campfire or under a heat lamp. The heat travels through the air to reach you.

Heat transfer is all around us. It cooks our food, warms our homes, and even helps our bodies stay at the right temperature. Understanding how it works helps us use energy better and stay safe.

Fun Fact: Penguins huddle together to stay warm in freezing weather. They use body heat and reduce heat loss by blocking the cold wind—nature’s teamwork in heat transfer!

What is the main idea of the passage?

How spoons are made from metalWhy soup is hotThe different ways heat can moveHow the Sun heats the Earth

Which sentence best describes conduction?

Heat moving through air using wavesHeat moving through a liuid by circular motionHeat traveling through a solid objectHeat lost through the cold wind

What does the word radiation mean in the passage?

Light from a flashlightHeat traveling in waves through space or airWater boiling in a potWind blowing through trees

According to the passage, why do penguins huddle together?

To fly better in cold weatherTo stop predators from attackingTo warm each other by sharing heatTo block the sunlight

Which example best shows convection?

Touching a hot spoonFeeling the Sun on your skinWatching hot water rise and cool water sink in a potUsing a blanket to keep warm

What is true about heat?

Heat moves from cold to hotHeat stays in one placeHeat only moves in solidsHeat moves from hot to cold