What happens when thermal energy is applied to a substance?(1 point)
Responses
All substances will melt.
Its atoms gain potential energy.
Its atoms gain kinetic energy.
Its particles slow down.
Its atoms gain kinetic energy.
When thermal energy is applied to a substance, its atoms gain kinetic energy.
The correct answer is: Its atoms gain kinetic energy.
When thermal energy is applied to a substance, its atoms gain kinetic energy. Thermal energy is the total energy of the particles in a substance. When energy is added, the particles within the substance start to move faster, increasing their kinetic energy. This increase in kinetic energy results in an increase in the temperature of the substance. As a substance is heated, its particles vibrate, move, and collide with each other more rapidly, leading to an overall increase in kinetic energy.