Thermal Energy

Thermal energy (sometimes called internal energy) is the total energy stored in the random motion of all particles in a substance.

It depends on:

• Temperature (average kinetic energy per particle)
• Mass/number of particles
• The substance’s specific heat capacity

Thermal energy always flows from hotter to cooler regions, by conduction, convection or radiation, until thermal equilibrium is reached (both at the same temperature).

$E = mc\Delta\theta$