Question

Question 3(Multiple Choice Worth 2 points)

A 20 gram piece of metal is added to a sample of 100 grams of water inside a calorimeter. If the metal is at a temperature of -5° Celsius and the water is at 20° Celsius, which of the following best describes what will occur inside the calorimeter?

The final temperature of the water will be 15° Celsius.
The energy gained by the metal equals the energy lost by the water.
The final temperature of the water will be higher than the initial temperature.
The temperature lost by the water will equal the temperature gained by the metal.

Answer 1

The energy gained by the metal equals the energy lost by the water...
It is phrased this way because the focus is on the energy entering the system, more than it leaving the surroundings.

Answer 2

This is a problem based on concept of first law of thermodynamics

if a body is giving heat it will be absorbed by some other body or surrounding.

Now we have taken metal at low temperature and water at high temperature

So water will lose some energy and the same amount of energy will be gained by metal. The exchange will continue untill both reach the same temperature.

So answer is

The energy gained by the metal equals the energy lost by the water.