Which definition describes temperature?

Which definition describes temperature?

• A. The total energy of all the particles in a substance
• B. The average energy of all the particles in a substance
• C. The speed of the fastest particle
• D. The volume of a substance

Answer: (B)

Temperature is a measure of the average energy per particle in a substance. When something is hotter, its particles, on average, have more energy, mainly from their motion. This focus on the typical energy of individual particles explains why temperature is not about the total energy (which would depend on how much stuff there is), not about the speed of the fastest particle, and not about the volume. The idea that temperature reflects the average energy of all the particles aligns with how we describe how hot or cold a substance feels, since it’s the typical energy per particle that sets the observed thermal state.

Temperature is a measure of the average energy per particle in a substance. When something is hotter, its particles, on average, have more energy, mainly from their motion. This focus on the typical energy of individual particles explains why temperature is not about the total energy (which would depend on how much stuff there is), not about the speed of the fastest particle, and not about the volume. The idea that temperature reflects the average energy of all the particles aligns with how we describe how hot or cold a substance feels, since it’s the typical energy per particle that sets the observed thermal state.