Question

During an experiment a student measured the temperature of water while it boiled in a pot on a stove. The temperature of the water stayed at 100°C during the entire time that the water was boiling. The student explained that the water did not change temperature because the heat energy from the stove was used to change the water into a gas, instead of making the water hotter. This explanation is based partly on the data collected in the experiment and partly on the student's _______.

A. opinions about science
B. interpretation of the data
C. mistakes in math
D. understanding of light energy

Answer 1

The student's explanation that the temperature of the water did not increase because heat was facilitating the phase change from liquid to gas is based on their interpretation of the data from the experiment, which aligns with the scientific understanding of phase changes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's explanation that the water did not change temperature during boiling because the heat energy from the stove was used to change the water into gas is partly based on interpretation of the data. When water boils, the temperature stays at 100°C, which the student observed. At this point, the heat supplied no longer increases the water's temperature but is instead used for the phase change, in this case from liquid to gas. This heat is absorbed by water to overcome intermolecular forces, facilitating the phase transition without an increase in temperature, known as the water's enthalpy of vaporization.

The temperature of the system remains constant at 100°C throughout the boiling process until all the liquid water has vaporized, which aligns with the concepts of heat transfer and experiment observations in phase changes.