[retsoksirhc]

I was just wondering something, it popped into my head today. There is probably some obvious answer that I just can't think of, but hey, why not ask?

I don't recall exactly what it was, as it's been a while since I last took a physics class, but there is some law that states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed. I believe I also heard a similar law about energy not being able to be created or destroyed, but only converted into different types of energy.

I want to focus on heat energy. If all the atoms/molocules in a particular object were moving around at a speed such that the average temperatre of the object were 100 Degrees C (just for example), and that object were placed in a vacuum, would the atoms/molocules slow down as they bumped into each other? I know there should be an equal and oppisite reaction for each collision, so does that mean that the total force would always stay the same within out object encased in a vacuum? What about friction? Would that slow them down, but cause them to move faster at the same time, because the potential energy from the moving molocules was converted to heat energy, or would there be nothing to convert to, since the velocity of the molocules is already dependent upon the heat of the object? Would the object remain at 100 degrees C? Would it lose heat, and the heat be converted into any other energy type?

Just looking or an explanation of what would be happeneing there, out of curiosity.