A student takes the temperature of a bottle of liquid water and a tub filled with ice. The student then places the bottle of liquid water into the tub of ice. After 15 minutes, which of the following best describes what happens to the temperature of each?

Answer 1

When the student places the bottle of liquid water into the tub of ice, heat transfer occurs between the warmer water and the colder ice.

1. Temperature of the liquid water: The temperature of the liquid water will decrease as it loses heat to the ice. Over time, the liquid water will continue to cool until it reaches thermal equilibrium either with the ice or the surrounding environment, depending on how much ice is available and the initial temperatures.

2. Temperature of the ice: The temperature of the ice will increase as it absorbs heat from the water. If there is sufficient ice, it may remain at 0°C while melting; if not, the temperature of the ice may start to rise as it transitions to water.

In summary, after 15 minutes, the temperature of the liquid water will be lower than its initial temperature, and the temperature of the ice, if enough ice is present, will either remain at 0°C or increase slightly, depending on the circumstances.