An aluminum block with a temperature of 300oC is placed into 200 milliliters of water with a temperature of 20oC. Which statement best describes what will be observed in this experiment?

Question

a
Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are 20oC.
b
Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are 300oC.
c
Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are at the temperature of the container.
d
Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are at a temperature somewhere between 20oC and 300oC.

Answer 1

The correct statement is:

d. Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are at a temperature somewhere between 20oC and 300oC.

This is because heat will flow from the hotter object (the aluminum block at 300°C) to the cooler object (the water at 20°C) until thermal equilibrium is reached, which will occur at a temperature that is between the two initial temperatures.