Which object has more thermal energy?
a 200-gram cup of black tea at a temperature of 60°C a 200-gram cup of black tea at a temperature of 40°C
The objects are identical except for their temperatures.
All solids, liquids, and gases are made of matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles that are always moving. The energy from the motion of these particles is called thermal energy.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the particles in matter move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher temperature.
The two cups of black tea have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 60°C cup of black tea is hotter than the 40°C cup of black tea, it has more thermal energy.