Do the molecules in a gas have more thermal energy than the molecules in a solid?

To understand if the molecules in a solid have more thermal energy than the molecules in a gas, one must first understand what thermal energy is. Thermal energy is can be generally defined as the average kinetic energy possessed by a atom or molecule in a substance. Thermal energy is transferred to molecules of a substance via heat. Heating of a group of molecules, increases the overall thermal energy of the substance, which can lead...

To understand if the molecules in a solid have more thermal energy than the molecules in a gas, one must first understand what thermal energy is. Thermal energy is can be generally defined as the average kinetic energy possessed by a atom or molecule in a substance. Thermal energy is transferred to molecules of a substance via heat. Heating of a group of molecules, increases the overall thermal energy of the substance, which can lead to a change in state. Because of this, the thermal energy of the molecules in a substance can be determined by their temperature. In terms of looking at the states of matter and thermal energy, a solid contains the least amount of thermal energy, a liquid contains more thermal energy than a solid, and a gas contains more thermal energy than both a liquid and a solid. Therefore, molecules, of the same substance as the solid, that are in the gas state would have a higher level of thermal energy than both the liquid state, and the solid state, of the same molecules. This is why it takes the addition of a greater amount of heat to molecules to change from their solid state into a liquid state, or a liquid state into a gas state. 

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