ASPECt
Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation
Item EG027004: For two wooden blocks that are at the same temperature, the block that weighs more has more thermal energy.
A student has two blocks made of the same type of wood. The wooden blocks are both at the same temperature, but Block 1 weighs more than the Block 2.
Which block has more thermal energy and why?
- Block 1 has more thermal energy because it weighs more.
- Block 2 has more thermal energy because it weighs less.
- Both blocks have the same amount of thermal energy because they are at the same temperature.
- Neither block has any thermal energy because they are not living things.
- Distribution of Responses
- Scale Score for Item Difficulty
(200[Easy]-800[Difficult]) - 534
- Students Responding Correctly
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1631 | 6319 | 26% |
| Grades | |||
| 4–5 | 270 | 785 | 34% |
| 6–8 | 673 | 2819 | 24% |
| 9–12 | 688 | 2715 | 25% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 765 | 2880 | 27% |
| Female | 832 | 3262 | 26% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 1458 | 5705 | 26% |
| Other | 120 | 412 | 29% |
- Disciplinary Core Ideas
- PS3.A Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles of matter. The relationship between the temperature and the total energy of a system depends on the types, states, and amounts of matter present.
- NRC Framework
- PS3.A Thermal energy is the random motion of particles (whether vibrations in solid matter or molecules or free motion in a gas)...