3. If you left a cup of ice out on the countertop on a hot day, do you think your ice melts
because of conduction, convection, or radiation? Explain your answer. (3 points)
The ice would primarily melt due to conduction and convection.
Conduction refers to the transfer of heat through direct contact between objects that are at different temperatures. In this case, the cup of ice is in direct contact with the warmer countertop, so heat from the countertop is transferred to the ice through conduction. This heat transfer causes the ice to melt.
Convection, on the other hand, is the transfer of heat through the movement of fluid or gas. As the air around the cup of ice gets heated up by the hot day, it becomes less dense and rises, while cooler air from the surroundings moves in to take its place. This circulation of air creates convective currents that carry heat away from the cup of ice, further accelerating the melting process.
While radiation, the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves, also plays a role, it is not as significant in this scenario. Radiation does not require direct contact or a medium to transfer heat and can occur through empty space. However, the primary sources of heat in this situation are the countertop and the air, and conduction and convection are the dominant modes of heat transfer.