Which of the following best describes temperature in the context of chemistry?

• A. Temperature is the total energy contained in a substance.
• B. Temperature is the energy released during a chemical reaction.
• C. Temperature is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree.
• D. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that temperature is a physical quantity related to the motion of particles in a substance.
2. Recall that temperature is not the total energy, but rather relates to the average kinetic energy of particles, which reflects how fast they are moving on average.
3. Recognize that the total energy includes both kinetic and potential energy of all particles, which is different from temperature.
4. Distinguish temperature from heat, where heat is energy transferred due to temperature difference, and specific heat capacity is the amount of heat needed to raise temperature by one degree.
5. Conclude that the best description of temperature in chemistry is that it measures the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance.