Thermal Energy

Louis has two sets of two gears (Set A and Set B) that he is using to build two different machines. He has all the gears laying out separately, as shown in the diagram above. Then he puts the gears into the machines so that the gears in Set A are touching each other and the gears in Set B are touching each other. Use the information in the diagram to answer the question.

After the gears have been touching for a while, which of the two bottom gears will be cooler, and why?

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

A chef takes four pans from different parts of her kitchen and puts them in two stacks. The diagram above shows the pans before they touch each other. Use the information in the diagram to answer the question.

After the pans have been touching for a while, which of the two bottom pans will be cooler, and why?

• The smaller bottom pan 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 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.

• 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.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-4

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Ralph and Sheila are at a construction site and they are stacking bricks. The diagram above shows the bricks before they touch. Use the information in the diagram to answer the question.

After the bricks have been touching for a while, whose top brick will be cooler?

• Ralph’s top brick will be cooler than Sheila's top brick, because less energy has to transfer for Ralph’s brick’s molecules to reach the same temperature as the molecules of his bottom brick.

• Sheila's top brick will be cooler than Ralph’s top brick, because Sheila’s started with more total energy, so less energy had to transfer for both her bricks to reach the same total energy.

• Sheila’s top brick will be cooler than Ralph’s top brick, because the energy that transferred to Sheila’s was spread out over more molecules.

• Both will be the same temperature, because both bottom bricks had the same amount of energy to transfer and the molecules in the top bricks started with the same energy.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-4

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Four people are putting their laptop computers away. Mari puts her laptop on Sam’s laptop, and Arun puts his laptop on Odessa’s laptop. The diagram above shows the laptops before they touch each other. Use the information in the diagram to answer the question.

After the laptops have been touching for a while, will Sam’s laptop or Odessa’s laptop be cooler, and why?

• Sam’s laptop will be cooler than Odessa’s laptop, because less energy has to transfer for the molecules of Sam’s laptop to reach the same temperature as the molecules of Arun’s laptop.

• Both laptops will be the same temperature, because both Arun’s and Mari’s laptops had the same amount of energy to transfer and the molecules in Sam’s and Odessa’s laptops started with the same energy.

• Odessa’s laptop will be cooler than Sam’s laptop, because Odessa’s started with more total energy, so less energy has to transfer for her and Arun’s laptops to reach the same total energy.

• Odessa’s laptop will be cooler than Sam’s laptop, because the energy that transferred to Odessa’s was spread out over more molecules.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

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What is the difference between temperature and thermal energy?

• Thermal Energy=Average Kinetic Energy
  Temperature=Total Kinetic Energy
• Thermal Energy=Total Kinetic Energy
  Temperature=Average Kinetic Energy

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What do Temperature and Thermal Energy have in Common?

• They both measure kinetic energy, just in different ways
• Temperature and Thermal Energy are the same thing

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Which object has higher thermal energy?

• A
• B
• Same amount 20 degrees C

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A measure of the average kinetic energy of the individual particles in an object is called

• Thermal energy

• Conduction

• Convection

• Temperature

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Because a bath has more molecules, it has more __________ than a teacup at the same temperature.

• Heat

• Thermal energy

• Potential energy

• Degrees

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How do you know when a system has reached equilibrium?

• They are the same size

• They are the same temperature

• The larger sample increases in temperature

• The smaller sample increases in temperature