Which object has more thermal energy?
a pot of spaghetti sauce at a temperature of 115°F a pot of spaghetti sauce at a temperature of 105°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 pots of spaghetti sauce have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 115°F pot of spaghetti sauce is hotter than the 105°F pot of spaghetti sauce, it has more thermal energy.