A student with a body temperature of 37°C holds a can of cold soda with a temperature of 18°C. The student is in a room with an air temperature of 22°C. Which statement best describes the flow of heat throughout the entire system?

Question

Responses

Heat will flow from the student to the can.
Heat will flow from the student to the can.

Heat will flow from the student to the can and the air to the can.
Heat will flow from the student to the can and the air to the can.

Heat will flow from the student to the can and the air, and from the air to the can.
Heat will flow from the student to the can and the air, and from the air to the can.

Heat will flow from the air to the can and the student.

Answer 1

The best description of the flow of heat throughout the entire system is:

Heat will flow from the student to the can and the air to the can.

Here's the reasoning:

• The student has a body temperature of 37°C, which is higher than the temperature of the cold soda can at 18°C. Therefore, heat will flow from the student to the can.
• The can of soda is at a lower temperature than the room (22°C), so heat will also flow from the air (at 22°C) to the can (at 18°C) in a direction that seeks thermal equilibrium.

Thus, the flow of heat is from the warmer body (student) to the cooler body (can) and from the warmer environment (air) to the cooler body (can).