Which object has more thermal energy?
a 125-gram glass of grape juice at a temperature of 40°F a 125-gram glass of grape juice at a temperature of 65°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 glasses of grape juice have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 65°F glass of grape juice is hotter than the 40°F glass of grape juice, it has more thermal energy.