Which object has more thermal energy?
a cherry pie at a temperature of 100°F a cherry pie at a temperature of 130°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 cherry pies have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 130°F pie is hotter than the 100°F pie, it has more thermal energy.