Read the claim. Agree or disagree and write a paragraph defending your answer. Use evidence, reasoning, and an example to support your thinking. Thermal energy moves from matter with high kinetic energy to matter with lower kinetic energyHot in or out? In the middle column of the chart, determine whether thermal energy is lost or gained in each scenario. In the right column, describe the kinetic energy of the object as high, low, or no change. Answer the question after completing the chart.

3 answers

I agree with the claim that thermal energy moves from matter with high kinetic energy to matter with lower kinetic energy. This principle is rooted in the second law of thermodynamics, which states that heat flows spontaneously from hotter objects (higher kinetic energy) to cooler ones (lower kinetic energy) until thermal equilibrium is reached. For example, if you place a hot cup of coffee on a cold countertop, thermal energy will transfer from the coffee (higher kinetic energy) to the countertop (lower kinetic energy). As a result, the coffee will gradually cool down, and the countertop will warm slightly. In the context of a chart that categorizes thermal energy transfer, the “Hot in or out?” question could be answered by identifying whether thermal energy is lost or gained in each scenario. For the coffee and countertop example, thermal energy is lost from the coffee, and its kinetic energy decreases (low), while the countertop gains thermal energy and experiences an increase in kinetic energy (from low to moderate). This systematic transfer highlights the fundamental nature of thermal energy movement in varying temperature contexts.

In each scenario, you would assess whether thermal energy is lost or gained, determining the changes in kinetic energy accordingly.

can you make it sound like a 7th grader

I agree with the claim that thermal energy moves from things with high kinetic energy to things with lower kinetic energy. This is because heat always flows from hot to cold until everything is the same temperature, which we call thermal equilibrium. For example, if you have a hot cup of cocoa and you put it on a cold table, the heat (or thermal energy) from the cocoa will transfer to the table. The cocoa will lose some of its heat and will cool down (so it has lower kinetic energy), while the table will gain some heat and warm up a bit (so it has higher kinetic energy).

If I had a chart to fill out for different scenarios, I would mark if thermal energy is lost or gained. In the example of the cocoa and the table, the cocoa loses thermal energy, and its kinetic energy goes from high to low. The table gains thermal energy, which means its kinetic energy goes from low to a little higher. Putting it in simple terms, heat always moves from hot things to cold things!