You lose 12 pounds over a 13-day period. Which of the following quantities act like a state function: the amount of calories you consume, your weight, or the number of calories burned through exercise?

Question

Check all that apply.

Answer 1

In thermodynamics, a state function is a property that depends only on the current state of a system, not on the path taken to reach that state. To determine which of the quantities you mentioned acts like a state function, let's analyze each one:

1. The amount of calories you consume: This quantity can change based on your eating habits and the time period considered. It is not a state function since it depends on your behavior (the path taken) rather than just the state of your body.

2. Your weight: Weight can be considered a state function in this context, as it is a measure of your body's mass at a given time. It depends only on the current state of your body (how much you weigh now) and not how you arrived at that weight (regardless of the calories consumed or burned through exercise).

3. The number of calories burned through exercise: This quantity varies with the type and duration of exercise you perform. It depends on the path you take (the specific exercises and intensity) and is therefore not considered a state function.

Based on this analysis, the only quantity that acts like a state function is:

• Your weight

So, the answer is:

• Your weight.