Which object has less thermal energy?
a bowl of oatmeal at a temperature of 35°C a bowl of oatmeal at a temperature of 30°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.
The two bowls of oatmeal have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 30°C bowl of oatmeal is colder than the 35°C bowl of oatmeal, it has less thermal energy.