thermal energy
0 antonyms and opposites of thermal energy, grouped by meaning.
Noun — The energy a substance has because of the random motion of the particles inside it, which is what makes it feel hot or cold.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The energy a substance has because of the random motion of the particles inside it, which is what makes it feel hot or cold.
“As the water is heated, its thermal energy increases and the molecules move faster.”
2. noun
Loosely, heat regarded as a usable resource, especially in engineering and energy generation.
“The plant captures waste thermal energy from the smelter and feeds it into the district heating network.”
How to use thermal energy
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Standard in school science and engineering. Physicists writing precisely tend to prefer internal energy for the quantity a body possesses and heat for energy in transit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between thermal energy and heat?
Thermal energy is the energy stored inside an object because its particles are in motion. Heat is thermal energy on the move — the transfer of that energy from a hotter body to a cooler one. An object has thermal energy; it does not have heat.
What is the difference between thermal energy and temperature?
Temperature is the average kinetic energy of the particles, so it tells you how hot something is regardless of size. Thermal energy is the total, so it depends on the amount of material as well. A cup of boiling water and a swimming pool at 40°C differ hugely in thermal energy.
Is thermal energy the same as kinetic energy?
Thermal energy is largely the kinetic energy of particles, but at the microscopic, random scale rather than the motion of the object as a whole. A parked kettle has no kinetic energy but plenty of thermal energy.