What does temperature measure in a material?

Temperature is fundamentally a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a material. When we talk about kinetic energy, we refer to the energy associated with the motion of particles. In any given material, the particles are constantly moving, and their motion can be in the form of translational, rotational, or vibrational movement. This movement contributes to the thermal energy of the material, which is directly related to temperature.

As temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the particles increases, meaning they move faster. This relationship establishes temperature as an indicator of how energetic the particles are on average. For example, when you heat a substance, the particles gain energy, move more vigorously, and consequently, the temperature rises.

Other options focus on different kinds of energy: potential energy pertains to the stored energy based on the position of particles, total energy includes both kinetic and potential energy but does not solely capture the essence of temperature, and heat energy relates to thermal energy transfer rather than measuring the average energy of the particles themselves. Therefore, the correct interpretation of temperature aligns specifically with the average kinetic energy of particle motion in the material.