What has more thermal energy and why: A large bucket of warm water or a small drop of boiling water?

Question

Responses

a large bucket of warm water because it has much more mass than the small drop
a large bucket of warm water because it has much more mass than the small drop

a large bucket of warm water because it has more heat than the small drop
a large bucket of warm water because it has more heat than the small drop

a small drop of boiling water because it has a higher temperature than the bucket of water
a small drop of boiling water because it has a higher temperature than the bucket of water

a small drop of boiling water because it has more heat than the bucket of water
a small drop of boiling water because it has more heat than the bucket of water

Answer 1

The correct response is:

a large bucket of warm water because it has much more mass than the small drop.

Thermal energy depends on both temperature and mass. Although the small drop of boiling water has a higher temperature than the water in the bucket, the large bucket contains a significantly greater mass of water. As a result, the total thermal energy (which is the product of temperature, mass, and specific heat capacity) in the large bucket of warm water is greater than that in the small drop of boiling water.