Which object has more thermal energy?
a 200-gram mug of cocoa at a temperature of 155°F a 200-gram mug of cocoa at a temperature of 115°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 move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher temperature.
The two mugs of cocoa have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 155°F mug of cocoa is hotter than the 115°F mug of cocoa, it has more thermal energy.