Describe how thermal energy and temperature are sim-

ilar. How are they different?

Kinetic energy is the main cause on which both temperature and thermal energy are dependent.

Explanation:

Both the temperature and the thermal energy are physical quantities. Both temperature and thermal energy are having thermodynamic state function. Both of them are measurable in nature that is quantitative. Both of them do not have any direction that is they are scalar quantities.

Temperature is not dependent on the quantity of a substance but in case of thermal energy it is dependent on the quantity of a substance. Temperature is based on the average kinetic energy of given particles but in case of thermal energy it is based on the total kinetic energy of given particles.