3. What pattern was evident in the movement of thermal energy?

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The movement of thermal energy consistently follows a directional pattern from areas of higher temperature to areas of lower temperature. This process continues until thermal equilibrium is achieved, meaning the temperatures equalize across the involved systems or regions.

### Key Patterns in Thermal Energy Movement:

1. **Heat Transfer from Hot to Cold:**
   - **Conduction:** In solids, thermal energy transfers through direct contact. Molecules vibrate and pass energy to neighboring molecules, moving heat from the hotter end to the cooler end. For example, a metal rod heated at one end will gradually become warm along its length.
   
   - **Convection:** In fluids (liquids and gases), thermal energy moves through the bulk movement of the fluid itself. Warmer, less dense regions rise while cooler, denser regions sink, creating convection currents. A classic example is the circulation of air in the atmosphere or water in a heated pot.
   
   - **Radiation:** Thermal energy can also transfer through electromagnetic waves without the need for a medium. This means heat can move through a vacuum, such as the Sun’s energy reaching the Earth.

2. **Directionality Towards Equilibrium:**
   - Thermal energy naturally flows in a way that reduces temperature differences, leading systems toward equilibrium. This aligns with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that the total entropy, or disorder, of an isolated system can never decrease over time.

3. **Gradient Dependence:**
   - The rate and pattern of thermal energy movement depend on the temperature gradient—the difference in temperature between regions. Steeper gradients result in faster heat transfer.

4. **Material Dependence:**
   - Different materials conduct, convect, and radiate thermal energy at different rates. Metals, for example, are typically good conductors, whereas gases are poor conductors but can effectively transfer heat through convection.

Understanding these patterns is fundamental in fields ranging from engineering and meteorology to everyday applications like cooking and building insulation.
Thermal energy moves from hotter areas to cooler areas through conduction, convection, and radiation until temperatures equalize.

3. What pattern was evident in the movement of thermal energy?

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