Nicole and Sasha are preparing supper for their family. They are preparing their mom’s favorite meal of fried chicken, baked potatoes, green beans and rolls. The potatoes are ready before the rest of the meal. Sasha thinks the potatoes will get cold before it’s time to serve the meal and wants to find a way to keep them warm. Nicole suggests several solutions to keep the potatoes warm. She tests her solutions and collects the following data.

Question

Which statement is the best explanation for the data?
A.
The kinetic energy from the potato is transferred into the foil and plastic wrap at a faster rate than that of the cotton cloth and wax paper.
B.
The aluminum foil and plastic wrap conduct heat better than the cotton cloth and wax paper.
C.
The potato’s kinetic energy is being transferred to the cotton cloth and wax paper at a faster rate than that of the aluminum foil and plastic wrap.
D.
The cotton cloth and wax paper do not conduct heat but the aluminum foil and plastic wrap do.

Answer 1

To determine the best explanation for the data regarding keeping the potatoes warm, we should focus on the concepts of heat conduction and how different materials affect temperature retention.

Among the given options, option B is the most accurate and relevant explanation:

B. The aluminum foil and plastic wrap conduct heat better than the cotton cloth and wax paper.

This statement reflects the principle that aluminum foil and plastic wrap are better insulators and have lower thermal conductivity compared to cotton cloth and wax paper, which means they can effectively retain the heat from the potatoes for a longer period of time. Therefore, they are better at keeping the potatoes warm compared to the other materials.