Which object has more thermal energy?
a tray of lasagna at a temperature of 100°F a tray of lasagna at a temperature of 110°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 trays of lasagna have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 110°F tray of lasagna is hotter than the 100°F tray of lasagna, it has more thermal energy.