Which contains more thermal energy; a bath at 30°c, or a cup of tea at 80°c?
A bath – because it contains a much greater volume of water. Thermal energy is the same as heat, which is NOT the same thing as temperature – see source and extract below: An Important distinction: Finally, it is important to recognize that heat and temperature are NOT the same thing. When you measure the temperature of boiling water with a thermometer, all you’re really getting is an idea of the local energy content of the molecules in contact with the thermometer bulb. Moving it about in the hot water tells you the same story, 100°C (212 °F). Knowing only the temperature of the water tells you nothing about the total amount of heat in the quantity of boiling liquid. Consider this odd scenario: Imagine a large tank of boiling water. Would you, for a thousand dollars, allow someone to place a single drop of the boiling water on your hand? I would. Of course it would burn and might even leave a blister; but for a thousand dollars, I’d take the pain. Now consider an alternative: Would yo
