Final answer:
Despite being colder, a large iceberg has more thermal energy than a cup of boiling water due to its massive size and the high specific heat capacity of water, allowing it to contain a tremendous amount of energy at a constant temperature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of why a large iceberg has more thermal energy than a cup of boiling water, despite their temperature differences, is rooted in the concept of heat capacity and the mass of the substances involved. Thermal energy refers to the total internal energy of a system, which is a combination of the substance's temperature and its mass.
An iceberg, although much colder than boiling water, has a colossal mass compared to a cup of water. Given that the specific heat capacity of water is quite high, it means that water can store a substantial amount of thermal energy without a significant rise in temperature. Therefore, even at 0°C, a huge iceberg contains a vast amount of thermal energy due to its large mass.
When an iceberg melts, a large amount of heat is absorbed without an increase in temperature due to the phase change. This is an example of latent heat, which is the energy absorbed or released during a phase change without a change in temperature. Hence, the enormous energy required to melt an entire iceberg illustrates the significant thermal energy it contains.