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

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

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

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

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

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

C. 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 to a cooler one until thermal equilibrium is reached, meaning the two objects will continue to exchange energy until they reach the same temperature. In this case, the hot tea at 90°C will lose heat to the air at 30°C until it cools down to room temperature.