Internal Energy
Definition
Internal energy refers to the total amount of kinetic and potential energies possessed by all particles within a substance.
Analogy
Think of a pot filled with boiling water on a stove. The internal energy represents the combined heat and movement of all water molecules inside the pot.
Related terms
Temperature: A measure of how hot or cold an object is, which is related to the average kinetic energy of its particles.
Heat Transfer: The process by which thermal energy moves from one object or substance to another.
Thermal Equilibrium: When two objects are at the same temperature and there is no net transfer of heat between them.
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