Final answer:
Thermal energy is the kinetic energy resulting from the random motion of atoms and molecules in a system, contributing to the system's overall temperature. Temperature measures this thermal energy per particle, indicating how 'hot' or 'cold' a system is. Heat is the transfer of thermal energy between systems of different temperatures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thermal energy is the kinetic energy associated with the random motion of atoms and molecules in a system. It is an intensive property that reflects the average kinetic energy of the system's constituent particles. When particles move or vibrate more quickly, they carry higher thermal energy, which usually corresponds to a higher temperature. However, it is essential to distinguish thermal energy from temperature itself. Temperature is a measure of the thermal energy per particle in a system and is an indication of how 'hot' or 'cold' a system is, while thermal energy is a total amount of kinetic energy due to particle motion.
When a substance absorbs thermal energy, this typically results in an increase in temperature, assuming no phase change occurs. Conversely, releasing thermal energy from a substance typically results in a decrease in temperature. In the context of thermal systems, heat is the transfer of thermal energy from one body or system to another with a different temperature. The SI unit for measuring energy, heat, and work is the joule (J).