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What is the fundamental difference between thermal energy and temperature?

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Final answer:

Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold an object is, while heat is the flow of thermal energy between objects. Temperature is a measure of average kinetic energy, and it is an important factor in chemical reactions and material stability.

Step-by-step explanation:

Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold an object is relative to another object (its thermal energy content), whereas heat is the flow of thermal energy between objects with different temperatures. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in matter.

For example, when a substance changes from solid to liquid, it is because there was an increase in the temperature of the material. Chemical reactions usually proceed faster if the temperature is increased. Many unstable materials (such as enzymes) will be viable longer at lower temperatures.

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