Gregory is making a turkey for Thanksgiving by roasting it in his oven. The turkey started at a room temperature of 25°C, and the oven was preheated to 175°C. If Gregory accidentally turns off the oven after he places the turkey inside of it, then what will happen to the turkey?

Question

A. Thermal energy will flow from the oven into the turkey and continue to flow until they reach equilibrium at 100°C or the turkey is removed.

B. Thermal energy will flow from the turkey into the oven and continue to flow until they reach equilibrium at 100°C or the oven is turned off.

C. Thermal energy will flow from the oven into the turkey and continue to flow until the turkey reaches a temperature of 200°C.

D. Thermal energy will flow from the turkey into the oven and continue to flow until the oven reaches a temperature of 200°C.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

A. Thermal energy will flow from the oven into the turkey and continue to flow until they reach equilibrium at 100°C or the turkey is removed.

Here's the explanation: When the turkey, which is at a higher temperature (25°C), is placed in the oven (which is preheated to a higher temperature, 175°C), thermal energy will flow from the oven (the hotter object) into the turkey (the cooler object). This process will continue until the temperatures of the turkey and the oven equilibrate, which would generally occur at a temperature lower than the oven's temperature but higher than the turkey's initial temperature, typically reaching a safe cooking temperature for the turkey, around 74-100°C depending on the context. Once the oven is turned off, the thermal energy exchange will still occur until the turkey reaches a temperature sufficient for cooking or until it is removed.