Final answer:
The term 'thermals' refers to phenomena caused by heat and is associated with the transfer of thermal energy through processes like conduction and convection, key concepts in thermodynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that means caused by heat when used as an adjective and refers to a rising current of warm air used by hang gliders as a noun is thermals. This terminology pertains to the study of thermal energy and heat transfer processes like conduction and convection, which are fundamental concepts in physics, particularly under the branch of thermodynamics. For example, the heat you feel on your chair when you stand up was transferred from your skin via conduction, which is the process by which heat is directly transmitted through a substance when there is a difference in temperature. Moreover, the specific heat equation, where c stands for specific heat, is essential in determining how much energy is required to change the temperature of a substance.