What is Thermal Motion and Why is it Important in Understanding Atoms?

[hasan_researc]

Homework Statement

One of the learning outcomes in the syllabus for my Structure of Matter course is the following:

• be aware that atoms are in thermal motion

What is thermal motion?

Homework Equations

N/A

The Attempt at a Solution

No idea!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[graphene]

In gases, the atoms are not stationary, they are in continuous motion. They collide with the walls of the container, and with each other too. As the temperature is increased, the average speed of the atoms increases.

In a solid, the atoms undergo vibrational motion. Again as the temperature is increased, the amplitude of vibration increases.
Heat conduction in a solid takes place as energetic atoms hit neighbouring atoms and pass on the vibrational energy.

Have you heard of the Brownian motion? It is a result of continuous motion of the atoms in a liquid.

 

[hasan_researc]

But why do we call that motion thermal? Is it because that motion is associated with thermal energy, which is another name (I believe) for internal/ microscopic energy?