the total energy of the particles of an object is called

The total energy of the particles of an object is called its internal energy.

This refers to the sum of all kinetic and potential energies stored within the object's microscopic particles, like atoms and molecules vibrating or moving.

Core Definition

Internal energy captures the random motion and interactions at the particle level, distinct from macroscopic kinetic energy (like the whole object moving) or external potential energy (like gravitational position).

In thermodynamics, it's denoted as U and includes translational, rotational, and vibrational contributions from particles.

For example, heating an object increases particle speeds, boosting this total energy without changing the object's overall position or shape.

Related Concepts

• Thermal energy : Often used interchangeably in basic contexts, as it's the internal energy tied to temperature rise from particle motion.

• Total mechanical energy : Sum of macroscopic kinetic (T) + potential (U), as E = T + U, but excludes microscopic particle details.

• Relativistic total energy : For high speeds, E = γmc², combining rest mass energy with kinetic, but still not purely "particles of an object" in everyday terms.

Context| Term| Key Components 139
---|---|---
Microscopic (particles)| Internal Energy| Kinetic (motion) + Potential (bonds/interactions) of atoms/molecules
Macroscopic (object)| Total Mechanical Energy| Bulk Kinetic + Gravitational/Elastic Potential
High-speed particles| Relativistic Energy| Rest mass (mc²) + Kinetic

Real-World Examples

Imagine a hot cup of coffee: Its internal energy comes from jiggling water molecules, not the cup's position on the table. Cooling it transfers that particle energy away as heat.

In a Reddit physics discussion from January 2025, users noted calculating total object energy involves summing all forms, but particle-level totals align with internal/thermal energy for non-relativistic cases.

TL;DR: It's internal energy, the microscopic total from particle kinetics and potentials.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.