From what you know about thermal energy, how do thermal underwear keep people warm in winter?

Question

This is one of my essay questions I asked my friends, my family they all had great answers but i just dont understand it! Can someone please give me a sixth grade level answer? Oh my God...thank you!

Answer 1

Yes it is because of the pockets of air. Air is a bad conductor of heat. if you can trap alot of air in some material, it will do a good job of keeping heat on one side. The insulation in your home works the same way. Thermal underwear is weaved in such a way as to mazimize the number of air pockets that will be formed which prevents the transmission of heat away from your body.

Answer 2

I'm not sure what answers your family gave you, but thermal energy (mass) is far different then thermal underwear. Thermal underwear is more closely related to a wet suit, cause they both do the same thing; which is retain body heat from a warm blooded individual.. Thermal mass (energy) is the ability of a solid objects to absorb the suns rays, then releasing that energy when the effects of convection take over.

Answer 3

Thermal Energy and Thermal underwear share only one thing...the word 'thermal'. They bear no relationship to each other.

You ask how thermal underwear keeps people warm in winter? What retains the warmth is the insulation provided by the underwear. In the fabric are a number of 'air pockets' that act as a barrier to heat loss. Heat doesn't easily get lost across these small pockets (in a similar way to how the vacuum works in a thermos flask)

I assume you have covered 'Thermal Energy' in your school work?

Cheers, keep warm,

BobSpain

Answer 4

Easy...
The weave of Thermal underwear is such that small pockets are created.. these pockets are filled with air..the heat from your body heats this air and it is basically trapped.. it stays next to your skin keeping in your body heat.

Answer 5

i don't believe it has anything to do with thermal energy...i think it has more to do with the little "cells" formed by the way the long johns/long janes are made trap little portions of the heat that is radiated by the body.