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

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

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-PS3-5

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

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

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

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

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Eric pours some iced tea into a glass. When he puts the iced tea in the glass, the energy of the glass decreases. What must be true of the energy of the iced tea?

• Its energy stays the same while the energy of the glass decreases.

• Its energy decreases while the energy of the glass decreases.

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

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-3

NGSS.MS-PS3-4