Background: Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in matter. In everyday usage, temperature indicates a measure of how hot or cold an object is. Temperature is an important parameter in chemistry. When a substance changes from solid to liquid, it is because there was an increase in the temperature of the material. Chemical reactions usually proceed faster if the temperature is increased. Many unstable materials (such as enzymes) will be viable longer at lower temperatures.

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.

Question: Which bag had a higher average kinetic energy, the melted bag or the frozen bag?
Answer: the melted bag

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.

Question: Which bag had a lower average kinetic energy, the melted bag or the frozen bag?
Answer: the frozen bag

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.

Question: Was the temperature of the frozen bag higher or lower than the temperature of the melted bag?
Answer: lower

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.

Question: Was the temperature of the melted bag higher or lower than the temperature of the frozen bag?
Answer: higher

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.                                         
                                                  Thomas is a research assistant and has taken samples of rat liver enzymes that need to be stored overnight. He places one in refrigerated storage, but forgot one and left it out on the counter top.

Question: Which sample will be viable for longer, the one on the counter top or the one in refrigerated storage?
Answer: the one in refrigerated storage

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.                                         
                                                  Thomas is a research assistant and has taken samples of rat liver enzymes that need to be stored overnight. He places one in refrigerated storage, but forgot one and left it out on the counter top.

Question: Which sample will be viable for a shorter time, the one on the counter top or the one in refrigerated storage?
Answer: the one on the counter top

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.                                         
                                                  Thomas is a research assistant and has taken samples of rat liver enzymes that need to be stored overnight. He places one in refrigerated storage, but forgot one and left it out on the counter top.

Question: Will the refrigerated sample have a lower or higher average kinetic energy than the sample on the counter?
Answer: lower

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.                                         
                                                  Thomas is a research assistant and has taken samples of rat liver enzymes that need to be stored overnight. He places one in refrigerated storage, but forgot one and left it out on the counter top.

Question: Will the sample on the counter have a lower or higher average kinetic energy than the refrigerated sample?
Answer: higher

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.                                         
                                                  Thomas is a research assistant and has taken samples of rat liver enzymes that need to be stored overnight. He places one in refrigerated storage, but forgot one and left it out on the counter top.

Question: Will the sample on the counter have a lower or higher temperature than the refrigerated sample?
Answer: higher

Situation: Susan went to the store to buy some bags of ice for a party she was having later in the day. When she got home she put one bag of ice in the sink and another in the freezer, but then was distracted by a phone call and forgot to put the other bag in the freezer. When she returned, the bag of ice had melted.                                         
                                                  Thomas is a research assistant and has taken samples of rat liver enzymes that need to be stored overnight. He places one in refrigerated storage, but forgot one and left it out on the counter top.

Question: Will the refrigerated sample have a lower or higher temperature than the sample on the counter?
Answer: lower