B Can High Temperature Exist in Intense Gravitational Fields?

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Heat is defined as thermal energy in transit and is proportional to the vibration of atoms, but high total energy in an atom does not equate to high temperature. Temperature is determined by the average kinetic energy of particles, not the total energy, which can include potential energy. In intense gravitational fields, atomic vibrations may be restricted, but this does not imply a high temperature like that of stars. The self-gravitational forces within an atom are negligible compared to electric and strong nuclear forces. Therefore, an object can possess significant energy without having a high temperature if that energy is primarily potential rather than kinetic.
shivakumar
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Sir, heat is proportional to the vibration of atoms. If the vibration of atom is restricted to large extent due to intense gravitational field but has high quantity of total energy in the atom then does it mean it has high tempearture like the stars?
 
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Heat refers, so to speak, to thermal energy in transit. You can talk about the total energy inside a system, but it would be meaningless to ask how much heat is in a system. One can only discuss how much heat entered or left a system.
 
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shivakumar said:
heat is proportional to the vibration of atoms.
No. See what @Lord Jestocost said in Post #1 about heat.

Also, 'vibrations' are not necessary. E.g. the particles in an ideal gas doe not vibrate. They move in random straight lines (bouncing off the container walls and each other).

shivakumar said:
If the vibration of atom is restricted to large extent due to intense gravitational field
The self-gravitational forces inside an atom (if that is what you mean) are incredibly small - totally negligible compared to the electric forces and the strong nuclear forces.

shivakumar said:
but has high quantity of total energy in the atom then does it mean it has high tempearture like the stars?
No.

High energy does not mean high temperature. The temperature of a system of particles depends on the average kinetic energy (of random motion) of the particles.

You can have have a cold object that contains a lot of energy - if the energy is mainly potential (not kinetic).
 
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