Which object has the least thermal energy?
a plate of spaghetti at a temperature of 98°F a plate of spaghetti at a temperature of 97°F a plate of spaghetti at a temperature of 136°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 plates of spaghetti have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 97°F plate of spaghetti is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy.