I learned that thermal energy is just the kinetic energy of the individual particles of a substance. What if I give the ice cube kinetic energy, not by heating it, but rather by making it move very fast? Then the ice particles will gain kinetic energy because they are now moving very quickly, translationally through space. Therefore, since they have more kinetic energy then the temperature must also increase. Since the temperature increases it melts. I feel like this must be wrong but I don't know why.
Asked
Active
Viewed 103 times
1 Answers
1
No, the orderly movement of the body as whole does not contribute to its thermal energy. Only the random movement of its particles does.
Quoted from "Thermal Energy | Energy Fundamentals" at University Leipzig (emphasis by me):
In thermodynamics, the internal energy $U$ is an energy form that results from the random motion of microscopic particles in a system. This thermal energy increases with increasing temperature $T$.
Thomas Fritsch
- 42,352