A fisherman in a boat is drinking a cup of hot coffee. The large lake below his boat is full of cold water. Which statement is an accurate comparison of the lake water and the coffee?(1 point) Responses The coffee will have more total thermal energy, but the particles in the lake water will be moving faster. The coffee will have more total thermal energy, but the particles in the lake water will be moving faster. The lake will have more total thermal energy, and the particles in the lake water will be moving faster. The lake will have more total thermal energy, and the particles in the lake water will be moving faster. The coffee will have more total thermal energy, and the particles in the coffee will be moving faster. The coffee will have more total thermal energy, and the particles in the coffee will be moving faster. The lake will have more total thermal energy, but the particles in the coffee will be moving faster.

1 answer

To analyze the comparison between the lake water and the coffee, we need to consider two aspects: the total thermal energy and the speed of the particles (temperature).

  1. Total Thermal Energy: While the coffee is hotter than the lake water, the lake contains a much larger volume of water. Therefore, the lake will have a greater total thermal energy because thermal energy depends on both temperature and mass.

  2. Particle Speed: The temperature of a substance is related to the average kinetic energy of its particles. The hot coffee will have particles that are moving faster on average compared to the colder lake water, where the particles are moving more slowly.

Based on this understanding, the most accurate statement is:

The lake will have more total thermal energy, and the particles in the coffee will be moving faster.