To determine the accurate comparison of the lake water and the coffee, we need to consider both the total thermal energy and the motion of the particles in each.
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Total Thermal Energy: This is a measure of the overall energy within the system. The lake contains a large volume of cold water, which means it has a significant amount of total thermal energy despite the low temperature. In contrast, a smaller cup of hot coffee has higher temperature but lower total thermal energy due to its smaller volume.
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Particle Motion: The temperature of a substance is directly related to the average kinetic energy of its particles. Since the coffee is hot, its particles are moving faster compared to the cold particles in the lake water.
Based on this understanding, the correct statement is:
The lake will have more total thermal energy, but the particles in the coffee will be moving faster.