Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation ~ Misconception EGM077

The amount of thermal energy an object has decreases when the average speed or average kinetic energy of molecules that make it up increases.

Items that test for misconception EGM077 in this project (ASPECt) and key idea ()
Item ID Number	Item Description	How Often the Misconception was Chosen
EG049003	For two objects that are made up of the same type of molecule and the same number of molecules, the molecules of the object with more thermal energy have the greater average speed.	21%
EG048004	For two objects that are made up of the same type of molecule and the same number of molecules, the molecules of the object with more thermal energy have more motion energy.	19%
EG047004	When the kinetic energy of molecules increases, the thermal energy of an object increases.	19%
EG051004	For two glasses containing the same number of water molecules, the water with molecules that are moving at the lower average speed has less thermal energy.	18%
EG053006	For two ice cubes that are made up of the same number of molecules, the ice cube with the molecules moving at the lower average speed has less thermal energy.	17%
EG052005	For two balloons that contain the same number of helium atoms, the helium atoms in the balloon with the greater thermal energy are moving at the greater average speed.	16%