Question

ante pours hot tea into a mug that is cool to the touch. Which best explains what will happen now?

The tea will get warmer because the mug acts as a thermal insulator.
The tea will get cooler because it gains energy from the mug.
The mug will get warmer because thermal energy transfers from the tea to the mug.
The mug will get warmer because the tea creates more thermal energy inside the mug.

Answer 1

The mug will get warmer because thermal energy transfers from the tea to the mug.

Heat flows from the hotter tea to the cooler mug until they approach the same temperature, so the tea cools and the mug warms.