A student observes a beaker of room temperature water resting on a table. She states that the beaker of water does not have any energy. Which statement below is accurate regarding her observation?
She is incorrect because the beaker of water has thermal energy.
Sorry this is now the correct answer
She is incorrect because all water contains hydrogen and oxygen.
To determine which statement is accurate regarding the student's observation, we need to understand the concept of energy and its presence in the beaker of water.
Firstly, energy is the capacity to do work or produce a change. It exists in various forms, including potential energy (stored energy) and kinetic energy (energy of motion). In the case of the beaker of water, there are different types of energy to consider.
1. Thermal Energy: The beaker of room temperature water has thermal energy. All substances, including water, contain thermal energy as a result of the motion of their molecules. The temperature of the water indicates the average kinetic energy of the water molecules, which is the measure of thermal energy.
2. Potential Energy: The beaker of water has gravitational potential energy due to its elevated position on the table. The height above the ground or a reference point determines the potential energy stored in an object.
Given that the beaker of water has both thermal energy (kinetic energy of water molecules) and potential energy (gravitational), we can conclude that the statement made by the student is inaccurate. The beaker of water does indeed possess energy.
In summary, the accurate statement regarding the student's observation is that the beaker of water does have energy, including thermal energy due to its temperature and potential energy due to its position.