Which object has less thermal energy?
a pot of spaghetti sauce at a temperature of 145°F a pot of spaghetti sauce at a temperature of 185°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 pots of spaghetti sauce have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 145°F pot of spaghetti sauce is colder than the 185°F pot of spaghetti sauce, it has less thermal energy.