Let's compare two systems.
System 1: A box is completely isolated. There are no forces acting on that object, and no interactions of any kind with other objects, waves, etc..
System 2: The same box is isolated from other systems. It is only affected by the force of gravity, let's assume with the same acceleration as that of gravity on the surface of Earth, and the normal force of a horizontal surface. The object is at rest and will never accelerate.
I am aware that the force of gravity's effects are negligible at the quantum scale. However, negligible does not necessarily mean non-existent.
I was wondering if within the body of the box in the second system there was any more heat energy than in the body of the box in the first system due to the acceleration imposed on the atoms by gravity.
The concept stems from the idea that any contact forces imposed on an object will increase that object's heat energy if nothing else affects it. I could not find anything by a google search that suggested that at-a-distance forces were any different.
I understand that this is rather conceptual as measuring such a difference is as I understand impossible, but I'd like to know what current theory would imply.
Best Answer
If the object is at rest it would imply that gravity transfer heat without an increase in potential energy, and there are no other forces that produce work. This would violate the conservation of energy.
Regarding your comment "any contact forces imposed on an object will increase that object's heat energy": this is incorrect, friction only results in heat exchange when there is relative motion between the surfaces, not when they are at rest relative to each other.