Which statement correctly describes the relationship between thermal energy and particle movement?

As thermal energy increases, it is not possible to predict particle movement.

1 answer

The statement "As thermal energy increases, it is not possible to predict particle movement" is incorrect.

A more accurate statement would be: "As thermal energy increases, particle movement generally becomes more vigorous or energetic." This means that with an increase in thermal energy, particles tend to move faster and may even change states (e.g., from solid to liquid to gas) depending on the material and the amount of energy added. While it's true that individual particle behavior can be unpredictable due to random motion, the overall relationship between thermal energy and particle movement is that increased thermal energy correlates with increased particle speed and activity.