What is the heating resulting from external physical forces called?

The heating resulting from external physical forces is best described as mechanical heat energy. This form of heat occurs when an external force is applied to an object, leading to the conversion of mechanical work into thermal energy. For example, when a machine operates and components move against each other, the friction generated can cause an increase in temperature. This is distinct from other forms of heating, such as resistance heating, which specifically refers to heating produced by electric current passing through a resistive material, or frictional heating, which is a more specific case of thermal energy generated by friction between surfaces in contact. The heat of solution, on the other hand, relates to the energy change that occurs when a solute dissolves in a solvent and is unrelated to mechanical forces. Thus, mechanical heat energy encompasses the broader category of heat produced by various forms of external physical work.