Which object has more thermal energy?
a bowl of cereal at a temperature of 40°F a bowl of cereal at a temperature of 50°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 bowls of cereal have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 50°F bowl of cereal is hotter than the 40°F bowl of cereal, it has more thermal energy.