The physics of thermal energy.
An explanation for the very inquisitive.
If the keyboard in front of you is made of atoms and molecules then thermal energy is the culmination of the constant little wiggles, jiggles,
and vibrations of those atoms and molecules that make up that keyboard. Your keyboard doesn't produce enough heat for you to notice because
it is cooler then your body. In fact, your keyboard syphons off thermal energy from your fingertips thru a
process called conduction.
If we move further down the scale, thermal energy is the culmination of the kinetic energy of the movement of the constituent parts
of an atom (electrons,protons, and neutrons).
Atoms and moleclues have movement because the constituent parts have movement.
When this kinetic energy is transfered to another atom it's called the transfer of thermal energy. When the transfer happens in objects such as
from a stove to a pan, it does so over the trillions upon trillions of atoms in those objects.
Why do electrons, protons, and neutrons move?
Well, now we are getting down closer to the mysteries of our universe. Except for the electron, which is a fundamental particle, the proton
and neutron are made up of smaller particles called quarks. Quarks have electrical charges. Electrically charged particles produce an
electromagnetic force and this force creates interaction with other electrically charged particles. These interactions, along with other
fundamental particle movements such as "spin" combine to produce these movements, vibrations, and general active nature of atoms. For a
discussion on how temperature affects atoms check out
Absolute Zero
Why do these all these particles have electrical charges anyway?
That information is classified. Just kidding. It's just how things are, the way the universe came together after the big bang.
Basically, within
just a fraction of a second one force known as the "superforce" split into the four fundamental forces of our universe.:
- Gravity
- Electromagnetic Force
- Strong Force
- Weak Force
Why did the universe come together in this precise manner at the moment of the big bang?. Time to do some research on the big bang theory!
It's very deep stuff and many people make a career out of trying to find the answer!
If you have any more questions after that it's all just philosophy!