Question

Which has more thermal energy, a 5-kg bowling all that has been resting on a hot driveway for 4 hours on a 350C day, or the same bowling ball rolling down a lane in an air-conditioned bowling alley? Explain.

Answer 1

The bowling ball on the driveway has more thermal energy.  It has been absorbing the radiant energy from the sun during those four hours. It is gaining temperature because of getting heated up, In fact, it will burn your hands when you picked it up.  But the ball in second case it has kinetic energy which is different . At the bowling alley, the ball does gain a slight amount of heat from rolling, but it is not hot enough to hurt your hands.

Answer 2

Answer:

Case 1

Explanation:

Case 1: A 5-kg bowling ball that has been resting on a hot driveway for 4 hours on a 35°C day,

Case 2: A 5-kg bowling ball rolling down a lane in an air-conditioned bowling alley

The question asks which of the two cases above have a higher thermal energy.

Thermal energy refers to the internal energy of objects due to the kinetic energy of its atoms and/or molecules.

This means that there are greater thermal energy in the atoms or molecules of hot objects than cold objects

Using this illustration, we understand that the bowling ball in case 1 has been absorbing the radiant energy from the sun for four hours and apparently, it is hotter than the ball in case 2;

Conclusively, case 1 has a higher thermal energy than 2.