Question

a sealed bottle of water was taken from a refrigerator and left in a warm kitchen. explain in the terms of its molecules what happened to the thermal energy and temperature of the water in a few minutes​

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The sealed bottle serves as an open system for the water molecules, thus heat energy can be exchanged with its surroundings. When the bottle is placed in a warm environment, there would be a gradual increase in the thermal energy of the molecules of water due to a change in the temperature of its surroundings.

Thus, the molecules of water closer to the boundary of the bottle absorbs heat, becomes lighter and changes position. This gradual process continues until all molecules attains an average temperature which equals that of the surroundings of the bottle.

Therefore, both the thermal energy and temperature of the water increases.