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Which statement defines the temperature of a sample of matter?

User Dmlittle
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Final answer:

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in matter. Increasing the amount of thermal energy in a sample of matter will cause its temperature to increase, while decreasing the amount of thermal energy will cause its temperature to decrease.

Step-by-step explanation:

Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in matter. When the atoms and molecules in an object are moving or vibrating quickly, they have a higher average kinetic energy (KE), and we say that the object is "hot." When the atoms and molecules are moving slowly, they have lower average KE, and we say that the object is "cold." Assuming that no chemical reaction or phase change occurs, increasing the amount of thermal energy in a sample of matter will cause its temperature to increase. Conversely, decreasing the amount of thermal energy will cause its temperature to decrease.

User Anjali Shah
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Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in the sample. This is the statement that defines the temperature of a sample of matter.

The temperature of a system is defined simply as the average energy of microscopic motions of a single particle in the system per degree of freedom.

The microscopic motions in a solid matter is the principal vibrations of the constituent atoms about their sites. In an ideal monoatomic gas, the microscopic motions are the translational motions of the constituent gas particles. In multiatomic gases, aside from translational motions, vibrational and rotational motions are included in the microscopic motions.


User Gayan Dasanayake
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