Which term describes a phenomenon that can change the position, physical composition, and temperature of matter?

Prepare for your Environmental Science Exam 1 with our interactive quiz. Test your knowledge with various question types featuring detailed explanations. Start today and ace your exam!

Energy is the capacity to cause change in matter, and it can influence where matter is, its chemical makeup, and its temperature. When energy is added or transformed, objects can move to change their position (kinetic energy), chemical reactions can alter what substances are present (chemical changes driven by energy), and thermal energy can increase or decrease temperature by increasing molecular motion. This broad ability to drive various changes is why energy best fits the description.

Matter refers to the substance itself, not the force that drives change. Potential energy is a form of energy tied to position, and kinetic energy is energy of motion; each is a type of energy, but the question points to the general phenomenon that can effect all three aspects, which is energy as a whole.