Final answer:
The false statement is that a hot object possesses more heat than a cold object because 'heat' refers to the energy transfer due to temperature difference, not the energy content of an object.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement among the options that is false is: c. a hot object possesses more heat than a cold object. This is a common misconception because 'heat' refers to the energy transfer due to temperature differences, not the energy contained within the object. Whether an object is hot or cold, what matters is the internal energy and the object's capacity to transfer energy due to its temperature difference with its surroundings.
When heat flows into a system, the system's internal energy increases. This is in line with option a. Heat, as in option b, is indeed a form of energy flow. Option d is correct because if a system and its surroundings are in thermal equilibrium, there is no heat flow since there is no temperature difference. Lastly, option e is true: an exothermic process is one in which heat flows out of the system into the surroundings.