Simone has a mug of hot tea at a temperature of 90°C. She sets the mug on a counter in a room with an air temperature of 30°C. What is most likely to happen to the temperature of the hot tea?(1 point)

Question

The air will transfer thermal energy into the tea, and the energy transfer will continue until the tea is at room temperature.

The hot tea will transfer thermal energy into the air, and the energy transfer will continue until the tea is at room temperature.

The air will transfer thermal energy into the tea and will continue to transfer energy until they are both 90°C.

The hot tea will transfer thermal energy into the air and will continue to transfer energy until they are both 90°C.

Answer 1

The most likely outcome is:

The hot tea will transfer thermal energy into the air, and the energy transfer will continue until the tea is at room temperature.

This is consistent with the principle of heat transfer, where heat flows from a hotter object (the tea) to a cooler surrounding (the air) until thermal equilibrium is reached. Since the air temperature is lower than the tea's temperature, the tea will cool down as it loses thermal energy to the air.