Temperature due to translational energy of molecules?

[deepthishan]

Hi there,

Ok from my lectures: Temperature is due to the Kinetic energy of molecules. Kinetic energy can be due to vibrational, rotational, translational and/or electronic motion.

Now when you move an object from one place to another, aren't the molecules undergoing a nett translation (granted it's macroscopic but still there's a velocity)? So isn't there temperature involved here (however tiny)-not counting friction !

Thanks!
:)

 

[Doc Al]

No. Temperature is a measure of the average translational KE of molecules as measured in the center of mass frame of the system. (The macroscopic motion of an object doesn't effect the random motion of its molecules, which is what temperature relates to.)

 

[deepthishan]

Thank you for the prompt reply Doc Al!