Simone has a mug of hot tea at a temperature of 90 degrees Celsius. She sets the mug on a counter in a room with an air temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. What is most likely to happen to the temperature of the hot tea?

Question

A. The hot tea will transfer thermal energy into the air, and the energy transfer will continue until the tea is at room temperature.
B. The hot tea will transfer thermal energy into the air and will continue to transfer energy until they are both 90 degrees Celsius.
C. The air will transfer thermal energy into the tea and will continue to transfer energy until they are both 90 degrees Celsius.
D. The air transfer thermal energy into the tea, and the energy transfer will continue until the tea is at room temperature.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

A. The hot tea will transfer thermal energy into the air, and the energy transfer will continue until the tea is at room temperature.

This is due to the principle of thermal energy transfer, where heat flows from a hotter object (the tea) to a cooler environment (the air) until thermal equilibrium is reached. In this case, the tea will cool down as it loses thermal energy to the surrounding air, continuing to do so until it reaches the same temperature as the air (30 degrees Celsius).