What is the TOTAL energy of all of the particles in a substance called?

The total energy of all particles in a substance is referred to as thermal energy. This energy is related to the temperature of the substance; as temperature increases, the particles within a substance move more rapidly, which increases their kinetic energy and, consequently, the overall thermal energy of the substance.

Thermal energy encompasses both the kinetic energy of the particles due to their motion and potential energy that arises from the interactions between particles. In contrast, potential energy refers specifically to stored energy based on an object's position or arrangement rather than the energy of motion. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion for individual particles but does not account for the collective energy of all particles, while chemical energy relates to the energy stored within chemical bonds. Thus, thermal energy provides the most accurate representation of the total energy associated with all particles in a substance.