Final answer:
The relationship between temperature, heat, and thermal energy involves how thermal energy reflects the kinetic motion of particles, temperature as a measure of that energy, and heat as the energy transfer due to temperature differences, measured in joules.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between temperature, heat, and thermal energy is fundamental in understanding thermodynamics. Thermal energy refers to the kinetic energy of atoms and molecules within a substance, reflecting their random motion. Meanwhile, temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of these particles and represents how 'hot' or 'cold' a substance is. Heat is the energy transferred between objects at different temperatures, moving from the hotter object to the colder one until thermal equilibrium is reached. The standard unit of energy in these contexts, including the measure of heat, is the joule (J).