Thermal Energy Quiz

Imagine Ava, Lily, and Oliver are playing in a park. Suddenly, Ava notices that the ground is getting warmer. She wonders, '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.

Imagine Jackson, Henry, and Benjamin are conducting a science experiment. They have two layers of different temperatures. 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.

Emma, Elijah, and Michael are having a heated debate about gears. After the gears have been spinning and grinding against each other for a while, they start to wonder: which of the two bottom gears will be cooler, and why?

• Emma argues that the smaller bottom gear will be cooler than the larger bottom gear, because less energy has to transfer for the molecules to reach the same temperature as the molecules of the top gear.

• Elijah believes that the larger bottom gear will be cooler than the smaller bottom gear, because the energy that transferred to it was spread out over more molecules.

• Michael thinks that the larger bottom gear will be cooler than the smaller bottom gear. It started with more total energy, so less energy had to transfer for both gears in Set B to reach the same total energy.

• Or could it be that both gears will be the same temperature, because both of the top gears had the same amount of energy to transfer and the molecules in the bottom gears start with the same energy?

Arjun, Oliver, and Mia are having a soup party! Arjun has a pot of hot soup, while Mia has just taken out a pot of soup from the freezer. Can you tell what is the difference between the molecules of the soup in Arjun's pot and the soup in Mia's pot?

• The molecules of the soup in Arjun's pot are dancing around while the molecules in Mia's soup are taking a nap.

• The molecules of the soup in Arjun's pot are having a fast-paced dance-off, while the molecules in Mia's soup are moving at a slow waltz.

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

• The molecules of the soup in Mia's pot have shrunk from the cold, making them smaller than the molecules in Arjun's pot.

Arjun, Isla, and Olivia are having a debate about their computer. They noticed that when the temperature of the computer decreases, something happens to the molecules inside it. Can you help them figure out what happens?

• 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.

Rohan, Kai, and Noah are experimenting with two pipes. After the pipes have been touching for a while, Rohan wonders, how does the temperature of the front pipe compare with the temperature of the back pipe? Can you help them figure it out?

• Before the pipes touch, Kai thinks the front pipe is cooler than the back pipe. Once the pipes are touching, Noah suggests that 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, Rohan believes that 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, Noah thinks the front pipe is hotter than the back pipe. Once the pipes are touching, Kai suggests that 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, Rohan believes the front pipe is hotter than the back pipe. Once the pipes are touching, Kai thinks that 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.

Elijah, Lily, and Harper are having a cook-off! They've been using their pans for a while now. Which of the two bottom pans will be cooler, and why?

• The smaller bottom pan (maybe Harper's?) will be cooler than the larger bottom pan, because less energy has to transfer for the molecules to reach the same temperature as the molecules of the top pan.

• The larger bottom pan (could be Elijah's or Lily's) will be cooler than the smaller bottom pan. It started with more total energy, so less energy had to transfer for both pans to reach the same total energy.

• The larger bottom pan will be cooler than the smaller bottom pan, because the energy that transferred to it will have spread out over more molecules. This could be why Lily's pancakes are always so fluffy!

• Both pans will be the same temperature because both of the top pans had the same amount of energy to transfer and the molecules in the bottom pans start with the same energy. So, Elijah, Lily, and Harper's pancakes should all be equally delicious!

Imagine this, David and Daniel are having a breakfast party and Isla is making toast for everyone. When Isla places the hot toast on the plate, the energy of the plate increases. What must be true of the energy of the toast?

• The toast's energy stays the same while the energy of the plate increases.

• The toast's energy decreases while the energy of the plate increases.

• The toast's energy increases while the energy of the plate increases.

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

Imagine Aria, Maya, and Arjun are having a cook-off! They are cooking rice and the temperature of the rice increases. What happens to the molecules of the rice?

• 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.

Imagine Maya and Abigail are having a fun science experiment. They have two buckets, one in the garage and one outside. After the buckets have been touching for a while, how does the temperature of Maya's garage bucket compare with the temperature of Abigail's outside bucket?

• 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, Maya's garage bucket is hotter than Abigail's 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, Maya's garage bucket is cooler than Abigail's 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, Maya's garage bucket is hotter than Abigail's 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.