Which object has less thermal energy?
a 200-gram mug of cider at a temperature of 85°F a 200-gram mug of cider at a temperature of 115°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 slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
The two mugs of cider have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 85°F mug of cider is colder than the 115°F mug of cider, it has less thermal energy.