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

Responses

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

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

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 because heat flows from a hotter object (the tea) to a cooler environment (the air) until thermal equilibrium is reached, which is typically at a common temperature between the two. In this case, the tea will cool down and the air will remain at a higher temperature than the room, ultimately leading the tea to decrease in temperature toward room temperature.