6th Grade Study Guide – Thermal Energy (Lessons 7–14)

Flashcards covering key concepts from Lessons 7-14 on Thermal Energy, including definitions and explanations.

Temperature

Measures how hot or cold something is and reflects the average kinetic energy of particles.

Heat

Transfer of thermal energy from warm to cooler objects; heat moves from hot to cold.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion; more particle movement equals more kinetic energy and higher temperature.

States of Matter

Different forms that matter takes based on particle behavior: solids (particles tightly packed), liquids (particles close but moving), gases (particles far apart and moving quickly).

Transmitted Light

Light that passes through objects.

Absorbed Light

Light that is taken in by objects, increasing their thermal energy.

Reflected Light

Light that bounces off surfaces.

Conduction

The process of heat transfer through direct contact between materials.

Equilibrium

State reached when hot objects lose heat and cold objects gain heat.

Particle Collisions

Events where particles transfer energy to each other; more collisions result in higher temperature.