| Definition | Heat is energy that is transferred from one body to another as the result of a difference in temperature. | Temperature is a measure of hotness or coldness expressed in terms of any of several arbitrary scales like Celsius and Fahrenheit. |
| Symbol | Q | T |
| Unit | Joules | Kelvin, Celsius or Fahrenheit |
| SI unit | Joule | Kelvin |
| Particles | Heat is a measure of how many atoms there are in a substance multiplied by how much energy each atom possesses. | Temperature is related to how fast the atoms within a substance are moving. The ‘temperature’ of an object is like the water level – it determines the direction in which ‘heat’ will flow. |
| Ability to do work | Heat has the ability to do work. | Temperature can only be used to measure the degree of heat. |
