Question

A man pours some hot coffee into a small cup from a large jug that contains enough coffee for several cups. Which statement correctly compares the coffee in the cup and in the jug?

A.
The coffee in the cup has a lower temperature than the coffee in the jug because there's less of it.
B.
The coffee in the jug absorbs more heat than the coffee in the cup because there's more of it.
C.
The coffee in the jug has more thermal energy than the coffee in the cup.
D.
The coffee in the cup and the coffee in the mug have the same amount of internal energy.
E.
The coffee in the cup has more thermal energy, but the coffee in the jug has more internal energy.

Answer 1

The correct comparison between the coffee in the jug and in the cup is that the coffee in the jug has more thermal energy, since it has a larger mass at the same temperature. The correct option is option (C).

Step-by-step explanation:

When a man pours hot coffee from a large jug into a small cup, the correct statement comparing the coffee in both containers is that C. The coffee in the jug has more thermal energy than the coffee in the cup. This is because thermal energy is proportional to the mass of the substance and the temperature. Since both the coffee in the cup and the jug were at the same temperature and the jug contains a larger mass of coffee, the jug contains more thermal energy.

Other choices such as the coffee in the cup having a lower temperature or differing amounts of internal energy between the cup and the jug are incorrect if we assume that the pouring is done quickly and the temperature of the coffee does not change during the transfer. Heat can be lost to the environment or the cup, but the statement compares the two immediately after pouring, at which point the temperature should be nearly the same. The amount of internal energy relates to the mass and temperature of the substances, which is why the larger jug, having more coffee, contains more thermal energy.