Which assertion about heat energy is incorrect?

Heat energy and temperature are closely related concepts, but they are not the same. Heat refers to the energy that is transferred between substances due to a temperature difference, while temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that heat and temperature are the same thing. This distinction is crucial in understanding thermodynamics and energy transfer.

The other assertions have valid points grounded in physics: heat and cold represent different ends of the thermal spectrum, but both are measures of thermal energy; ice can exist at temperatures below freezing due to supercooling; and water, while it typically boils at a certain temperature at atmospheric pressure, can be affected by pressure changes, allowing for scenarios where it can technically exceed the boiling point under certain conditions. Thus, distinguishing heat from temperature is fundamental to understanding thermal energy.