An aluminum block with a temperature of 300oC is placed into 200 milliliters of water with a temperature of 20oC. Which statement best describes what will be observed in this experiment?
a
Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are 20oC.
b
Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are at the temperature of the container.
c
Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are at a temperature somewhere between 20oC and 300oC.
d
Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are 300oC.
c
Heat will flow from the metal to the water until both are at a temperature somewhere between 20oC and 300oC.
Explanation: Heat always flows from the hotter object to the cooler one until thermal equilibrium is reached (until both objects are at the same temperature). Therefore, heat from the aluminum block at 300°C will flow into the water at 20°C. They will reach an intermediate temperature somewhere between the initial temperatures of the individual objects. The final temperature will depend on the masses and the specific heat capacities of the aluminum and the water, as well as the heat lost to the surroundings. Since the specific heat capacity of water is high compared to that of aluminum, it is likely that the final temperature will be closer to the initial temperature of the water, but it will certainly not be as low as 20°C or as high as 300°C under normal conditions.