When you put a pot of water on an electric stove to boil, the stove converts electrical energy into thermal energy (heat). This thermal energy is transferred to the pot and then to the water, raising its temperature until it reaches the boiling point.
Once you add the pasta to the boiling water, the thermal energy from the boiling water transfers to the pasta, causing it to cook. This process involves a transformation of energy as the thermal energy from the water is absorbed by the pasta, leading to an increase in the pasta's internal energy and cooking it.
To summarize, the main energy transformations involved are:
- Electrical energy (from the stove) to thermal energy (heat transferred to the pot and water).
- Thermal energy (from the boiling water) to the pasta, which cooks it.
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