Thermal Energy

In some places, hot water from underground can shoot up into the air through a hole in the ground. When this happens, the ground surrounding the water increases in temperature. What happens to the molecules in the ground when the temperature of the ground increases?

• More heat molecules combine with the molecules in the ground.

• The energy of the molecules in the ground decreases.

• The energy of the molecules in the ground increases.

• The cold energy of the molecules in the ground decreases.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

A space shuttle is covered with two layers of carbon. The two layers are the same size and have the same number of molecules. When the space shuttle is sitting on the ground, the layers do not touch, as shown in the diagram above. When the space shuttle takes off, the layers move so that they are touching. Use the information in the diagram to answer the question.

How does the temperature of the outer layer compare with the temperature of the inner layer before the layers touch? What will happen after the layers have been touching for a while?

• Before the layers touch, the outer layer is hotter than the inner layer. Once the layers are touching, the outer layer will transfer kinetic energy to the molecules in the cooler inner layer until both layers reach the same temperature, which will be in between their starting temperatures.

• Before the layers touch, the outer layer is hotter than the inner layer. Once the layers are touching, the cooler inner layer will gain kinetic energy until the molecules of both layers have an energy of 90, because hotter things increase the temperature of cooler things.

• Before the layers touch, the outer layer is cooler than the inner layer. Once the layers are touching, the inner layer will transfer kinetic energy to the molecules in the cooler outer layer until both layers reach the same temperature, which will be in between their starting temperatures.

• Before the layers touch, the layers are different temperatures. Once the layers are touching, kinetic energy and cold energy will transfer between the molecules in the two layers until both layers reach the same temperature, which will be in between their starting temperatures.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Lin cooked a pot of soup, then put half the soup in the freezer for a while. Now the soup in the pot is hot, and the soup in the freezer is cold. What is the difference between the molecules of the soup in the pot and the molecules of the soup in the freezer?

• The molecules of the soup in the pot are moving and the molecules of the soup in the freezer are not moving.

• The molecules of the soup in the pot are moving faster than the molecules of the soup in the freezer.

• There is no difference because all of the soup is made of the same type of molecules.

• The molecules of the soup in the freezer are smaller than the molecules of the soup in the pot.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Engineers design computers to cool down quickly so they do not break. What happens to the molecules in a computer when the temperature of the computer decreases?

• The energy of the molecules in the computer decreases.

• The energy of the molecules in the computer increases.

• The cold energy of the molecules in the computer increases.

• The computer loses heat molecules.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

A plumber is going to put two pipes in a wall, one in front and one in back. The pipes will be touching once they are installed. Both pipes are the same size and have the same number of molecules. The diagram above shows the pipes now, before they have touched. Use the information in the diagram to answer the question.

How does the temperature of the front pipe compare with the temperature of the back pipe before the pipes touch? What will happen after the pipes have been touching for a while?

• Before the pipes touch, the front pipe is cooler than the back pipe. Once the pipes are touching, the back pipe will transfer kinetic energy to the molecules in the cooler front pipe until both pipes reach the same temperature, which will be in between their starting temperatures.

• Before the pipes touch, the two pipes are different temperatures. Once the pipes are touching, the kinetic energy and cold energy will transfer between the molecules in the two pipes until both pipes reach the same temperature, which will be in between their starting temperatures.

• Before the pipes touch, the front pipe is hotter than the back pipe. Once the pipes are touching, the cooler back pipe will gain kinetic energy until the molecules in both pipes have an energy of 100, because hotter things increase the temperature of cooler things.

• Before the pipes touch, the front pipe is hotter than the back pipe. Once the pipes are touching, the front pipe will transfer kinetic energy to the molecules in the cooler back pipe until both pipes reach the same temperature, which will be in between their starting temperatures.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Joseph puts a piece of toast on a plate. The toast is hot from the toaster. When he puts the toast on the plate, the energy of the plate increases. What must be true of the energy of the toast?

• Its energy stays the same while the energy of the plate increases.

• Its energy decreases while the energy of the plate increases.

• Its energy increases while the energy of the plate increases.

• It is impossible to know without data on the number of molecules in each object.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-3

Nistu is cooking rice in a pot. When she leaves the pot on the stove for a while, the temperature of the rice increases. What happens to the molecules of the rice when the temperature of the rice increases?

• The energy of the molecules in the rice increases.

• The cold energy of the molecules in the rice decreases.

• The energy of the molecules in the rice decreases.

• More heat molecules combine with the molecules in the rice.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Flori has one bucket of paint outside and one bucket of paint in her garage. Both paint buckets are the same size and have the same number of molecules. She brings the bucket in from outside and is going to stack it on top of the bucket in the garage. The diagram above shows the buckets now, before they touch. Use the information in the diagram to answer the question.

How does the temperature of the garage bucket compare with the temperature of the outside bucket before the buckets touch? What will happen after the buckets have been touching for a while?

• Before the buckets touch, the two buckets are different temperatures. Once the buckets are touching, both kinetic energy and cold energy will transfer between the molecules of the two buckets until both buckets reach the same temperature, which will be in between their starting temperatures

• Before the buckets touch, the garage bucket is hotter than the outside bucket. Once the buckets are touching, the cooler outside bucket will gain kinetic energy until the molecules of both buckets have an energy of 18, because hotter things increase the temperature of cooler things.

• Before the buckets touch, the garage bucket is cooler than the outside bucket. Once the buckets are touching, the hotter outside bucket will transfer kinetic energy to the molecules in the cooler garage bucket until both buckets reach the same temperature, which will be in between their starting temperatures.

• Before the buckets touch, the garage bucket is hotter than the outside bucket. Once the buckets are touching, the garage bucket will transfer kinetic energy to the molecules in the cooler outside bucket until both buckets reach the same temperature, which will be in between their starting temperatures.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Rico and Bree are camping and have potatoes wrapped in foil to eat. Bree put her potato in the campfire for a while, but Rico did not. Now Bree’s potato has a high temperature. What is the difference between the molecules of the two potatoes?

• There is no difference because both potatoes are made of the same type of molecules.

• The molecules of Rico’s potato are smaller than the molecules of Bree’s potato.

• The molecules of Bree’s potato are moving and the molecules of Rico’s potato are not moving.

• The molecules of Bree’s potato are moving faster than the molecules of Rico’s potato.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

After a candle is blown out, the wax of the candle decreases in temperature. What happens to the molecules of the wax when the temperature of the wax decreases?

• The energy of the molecules of the wax decreases.

• The cold energy of the molecules of the wax increases.

• The energy of the molecules of the wax increases.

• The wax loses heat molecules.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4