A student is investigating how different materials affect heat transfer. The student places an ice cube on two blocks, Block A and Block B, which are made of different materials, and observes how long it takes each cube to melt. The setup and data are shown.

Question



Block Mass of the block (g) Initial Temperature of the block (°C) Initial Temperature of the ice cube placed on the block (°C) Time it takes each ice cube to melt on the block Block A 6623-1045 minutesBlock B38236-1010 minutes

Which two statements explain why the ice cube melted faster on Block B?

A. 

Block B has a smaller mass than Block A.

B. 

Block B transfers heat more slowly than Block A.

C. 

Block B’s ice cube was initially warmer than Block A’s.

D. 

Block B’s particles have more kinetic energy than Block A’s.

E. 

Block B is a better conductor of thermal energy than Block A.

Answer 1

To explain why the ice cube melted faster on Block B, we should consider the factors related to heat transfer between the block and the ice cube.

The two statements that explain this are:

A. Block B has a smaller mass than Block A.

• This statement can imply that Block B might reach a balance between the temperature of the melted ice and itself faster than Block A due to having less thermal mass, allowing it to transfer heat more efficiently to the ice cube.

E. Block B is a better conductor of thermal energy than Block A.

• This directly relates to the concept of thermal conductivity. If Block B is a better conductor, it will transfer thermal energy more efficiently to the ice cube, causing it to melt faster.

Thus, the correct responses would be A and E.