Which object has the least thermal energy?
a 200-gram cup of black tea at a temperature of 187°F a 200-gram cup of black tea at a temperature of 154°F a 200-gram cup of black tea at a temperature of 172°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 cups of black tea have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 154°F cup of black tea is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy.