Question

Which choice describes how energy is transferred at the particle level through the process of conduction?

A. The fast-moving particles in the colder material collide with the slow-moving particles in the hotter object. The collisions transfer energy from the fast-moving particles to the slow-moving particles, increasing their speed and thermal energy.

B. The fast-moving particles in the hotter material collide with the slow-moving particles in the colder object. The collisions transfer energy from the fast-moving particles to the slow-moving particles, increasing their speed and thermal energy.

C. The fast-moving particles in the colder material move into the hotter material. The slow-moving particles in the hotter material move into the colder material. The two materials switch temperatures.

D. The fast-moving particles in the hotter material move into the colder material. The slow-moving particles in the colder material move into the hotter material. The two materials switch temperatures.

Answer 1

The answer is B. Because the two materials will not switch temperature, heat is only transferred from a hotter material to a colder material to achieve equilibrium in temperature. Thus, option C and D is out. Option A is also wrong because the faster moving particles should be in the hotter material not the colder material, this is because when the material is hot, the kinetic energy of the particles increase, causing it to move faster.