Question

You are cooking pasta and putting a pot of water on an electric stove. When the water starts to boil, add the pasta. What energy transformation occurs to cook pasta?

Answer 1

When you cook pasta by boiling water on an electric stove, several energy transformations take place:

1. **Electrical Energy to Thermal Energy**: The electric stove uses electrical energy to generate heat. When you turn on the stove, electricity flows through the heating element, which converts electrical energy into thermal energy (heat).

2. **Thermal Energy to Kinetic Energy**: The thermal energy generated by the stove transfers to the pot and subsequently to the water inside it. As the water absorbs this heat, the thermal energy increases the kinetic energy of the water molecules, causing them to move more rapidly.

3. **Kinetic Energy to Phase Change**: When the water reaches its boiling point, the increased kinetic energy of the water molecules allows them to overcome intermolecular forces, resulting in a phase change from liquid to gas (steam). This is crucial for reaching the boiling state.

4. **Thermal Energy Transfer to Pasta**: When the pasta is added to the boiling water, the thermal energy from the boiling water transfers to the pasta. This process cooks the pasta by increasing its temperature and causing it to soften.

In summary, the primary transformation is from electrical energy to thermal energy, which subsequently transfers kinetic energy to the water and the pasta, cooking the pasta in the process.