Which object has more thermal energy?
a 300-gram rock at a temperature of 120°F a 300-gram rock at a temperature of 145°F
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 rocks have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 145°F rock is hotter than the 120°F rock, it has more thermal energy.