Discovering Thermal Energy in Balloons

Which balloon has less thermal energy?

A. The air in Balloon 1 has less thermal energy.

B. The air in Balloon 2 has less thermal energy.

C. The air in Balloon 1 and the air in Balloon 2 have the same amount of thermal energy.

D. Neither the air in Balloon 1 nor the air in Balloon 2 has any thermal energy.

Answer:

I go with D.

In this scenario, Balloon 1 and Balloon 2 are filled with the same amount of air. However, the air in Balloon 1 is cooled to a lower temperature compared to the air in Balloon 2. As a result, both balloons have the same thermal energy, which is none.

Thermal energy is related to the internal energy of a system due to its temperature. When the air in Balloon 1 is cooled, its temperature decreases, but the overall thermal energy remains the same.