Which object has the least thermal energy?
a stick of butter at a temperature of 11°C a stick of butter at a temperature of 6°C a stick of butter at a temperature of 8°C
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.
All three sticks of butter have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 6°C stick of butter is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy.