Question

When can something colder have more thermal energy than something hotter​

Answer 1

Thermal energy is the sum of the energy of all particles. That means that large objects at a lower temperature(with slower moving particles) can have more energy than small objects with high temperatures(faster moving particles).

Answer 2

Lesson Summary. Temperature is the average kinetic energy of particles of an object. Warmer objects have faster particles and higher temperatures. If two objects have the same mass, the object with the higher temperature has greater thermal energy.