Thermal energy refers to the internal kinetic and potential energies associated with particles within a substance. It determines its temperature and can be transferred through conduction, convection, or radiation.
Related terms
Heat: Heat is the transfer of thermal energy between objects due to a temperature difference.
Specific Heat Capacity: This property measures how much heat energy is required to raise the temperature of a given amount of substance by one degree Celsius.
Thermodynamics: The study of how thermal energy is converted into other forms of energy and how it flows between systems.