Thermal Energy Vocabulary

a measure of how hot or cold something is, the average kinetic energy

• kinetic

• matter

• molecule

• temperature

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

The total kinetic (motion) energy of the tiny particles that make up matter; the faster the particles move, the warmer the matter becomes.

• conductor

• matter

• thermal energy

• system

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

The ability of a system to do work; required for changes to happen within a system

• convection

• energy

• conduction

• heat transfer

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

The thermal energy exchange between two objects of different temperatures; energy moves in a predictable pattern from warmer sites to cooler sites until all sites have reached the same temperature.

• conductor

• system

• radiation

• heat transfer

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-3

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Average kinetic energy of all the particles in a material measured by a thermometer in degrees (usually degrees Celsius or degrees Fahrenheit).

• heat transfer

• temperature

• matter

• energy

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

The energy that an object or substance has because of the movement of its molecules.

• thermalite

• thermal conductor

• thermal insulator

• thermal energy

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

The movement of thermal energy from one object (or molecule) to another because they are touching.

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

• all the above

Thermal energy that does not require a medium in order to move from one location to another.

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

• all the above

The movement of thermal energy as matter is heated, moves away from the heat source, and then is replaced by cooler matter.

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

• all the above

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Which of the following terms describes the transfer of thermal energy through direct contact between molecules?

• Conduction

• Convection

• Radiation

• Evaporation