Heat is associated with high temperatures.
Heat is what a living being feels when faced with a high temperature . Physics understands heat as the energy that is transferred from one system to another or from one body to another, a transfer linked to the movement of molecules , atoms and other particles.
In this sense, heat can be generated from a chemical reaction (such as combustion), a nuclear reaction (such as those that take place inside the Sun ) or a dissipation (whether mechanical, friction, or electromagnetic, microwaves ).
Thermal energy and heat transfer
It is important to keep in mind that bodies do not have heat, but rather internal energy . When a part of this energy is transferred from one system or body to another that is at a different temperature, it is called heat. The heat transfer will occur until the two systems are at the same temperature and the so-called thermal equilibrium is reached.
The amount of thermal energy that is transferred is calculated and expressed in calories . This unit of measurement (unofficial) reflects the amount of energy required to raise, from 14.5º to 15.5º Celsius, the temperature of one gram of H2O (water). In the International System of Units , the unit of energy is known as a joule . One calorie is equivalent to 4.184 joules.
There are other uses of the term heat, usually related to a symbolic meaning. Heat can be, therefore, synonymous with excitement and exaltation (for example, "The heat of the public was felt in the stadium" ) or refer to the most intense part of an action ( "His clothes were torn in the heat of the battle» ).
In the desert you usually feel intense heat.
Consequences of global warming
Without a doubt, the clearest consequence of global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the planet, a phenomenon that we have witnessed in recent decades. Likewise, sea levels have risen considerably, threatening dangerous flooding.
All of this could have an impact on health , causing an increase in the average number of people affected by respiratory and cardiovascular diseases , as well as infections caused by tropical insects and dehydration. The first group of conditions mentioned would occur since, due to the heat, the effort necessary to perform any physical activity would increase, with the consequent pressure on the lungs and circulatory system.
With respect to mosquitoes and the rest of the pests, since tropical areas would expand, diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, cholera and malaria would affect a greater percentage of the world's population.
The magnitude and frequency of precipitation would be greater, although the water level of rivers and lakes would decrease, given the greater evaporation that high temperatures would cause. Certain droughts throughout the year could affect the productivity of electricity generation. On the other hand, naturally, the demand for drinking water would increase, to combat the heat . This demand, however, could not be satisfied.
Other effects of increased global heat
Another possible consequence of excessive evaporation would be that the soils lost their moisture; This would cause many areas rich in vegetation to become deserts . The loss of plants and nutrients would logically follow a decrease in livestock activities, with its impact on the economy.
Floods, on the other hand, would not only bring about massive evacuations, but the sea water would salinize certain rivers and cause an increase in the erosion of coastal buildings, which would threaten their foundations. In turn, sunlight would not reach the bottom of the reefs with the same ease, and this would directly affect the photosynthesis process of certain species that are essential for the life of the coral, one of whose functions is to moderate the waves.