Question

question 14 of 25
as you heat a piece of wood on a fire, the temperature of the wood increases.
what does this tell you?
a. the molecules in the wood are vibrating more slowly.
b. the total thermal energy of the wood is decreasing.
c. the chemical energy of the wood is increasing.
d. the molecules in the wood are vibrating faster.

Explanation:

When heat is applied to wood, the temperature increase implies more kinetic energy of the molecules. Thermal energy is related to the motion of molecules. Chemical energy is related to chemical bonds and not directly to temperature increase in this context. As temperature (a measure of average kinetic energy of molecules) increases, the molecules vibrate faster.

Answer:

D. The molecules in the wood are vibrating faster.