Which object has the least thermal energy?
a 3-kilogram block of steel at a temperature of 68°F a 3-kilogram block of steel at a temperature of 66°F a 3-kilogram block of steel at a temperature of 112°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.
All three blocks of steel have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 66°F block is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy.