Question

In 1742, Benjamin Franklin designed a wood-burning stove to heat rooms. The front of the stove was open, allowing heat to spread into a room. The back of the stove was closed, but had an air intake that increased air circulation. Fires lit in traditional fireplaces received less oxygen than those lit in Franklin stoves. What effect does a lit Franklin stove have on the air molecules in a room?

a. decreases their mass
b. increases their speed
c. decreases their volume
d. increases their energy loss

Answer 1

The lit Franklin stove increases the speed of air molecules in a room, as it supplies them with more energy and thus raises the room's temperature. This is an application of the kinetic theory of gases and the concept of convection in heat transfer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a Franklin stove is lit, the heat produced by the stove causes the air molecules in the room to increase in speed. This is due to the fact that the heat gives the air molecules more energy, leading to faster movement and contributing to an increase in the overall temperature of the room. This phenomenon is explained by the kinetic theory of gases, which states that the temperature of a gas is proportional to the average kinetic energy of its molecules. Thus, the correct answer to the effect that a lit Franklin stove has on air molecules in a room is option b: increases their speed.

Drawing from the principles of heat transfer, specifically convection, the Franklin stove's design allows for more efficient heating. Convection is a method by which heat circulates through fluids (liquids and gases), such as the air in a room. In the context of the Franklin stove, the air intake at the back of the stove brings in fresh oxygen, which aids combustion, while the heated air is pushed out into the room, warming it more effectively compared to a traditional fireplace that receives less oxygen and therefore has less efficient combustion.