Nelson places a stainless steel spoon in a cup of hot coffee, as shown in the picture.
How does the motion of the atoms in the spoon change when the spoon is placed in the hot coffee?
A
The atoms vibrate faster due to the conduction of heat through atoms in the spoon.
B
The atoms vibrate slower due to the conduction of heat through atoms in the spoon.
C
The atoms move closer toward each other due to the radiation of heat through atoms in the spoon.
D
The atoms move away from each other due to the convection of heat through atoms in the spoon.
A The atoms vibrate faster due to the conduction of heat through atoms in the spoon.
A. The atoms vibrate faster due to the conduction of heat through atoms in the spoon.
The correct answer is A. The atoms in the spoon vibrate faster due to the conduction of heat through atoms in the spoon when it is placed in the hot coffee.
Explanation: When the spoon is placed in the hot coffee, heat energy is transferred from the coffee to the spoon through a process called conduction. Conduction is the transfer of heat energy between particles or objects in direct contact with each other. In this case, the hot coffee transfers heat to the spoon, causing the atoms in the spoon to gain energy and vibrate faster. This increased vibration of atoms is a result of the enhanced kinetic energy transferred from the coffee to the spoon via conduction.