Question

A pot containing water is placed on the burner of a stove and covered with a lid. The water begins to increase in temperature and comes to a boil. Which statement below provides evidence for the Law of Conservation of Energy? (If you dont know the answer do not ANSWER anything)

(A) Mechanical energy from the boiling water is transferred to the pot and the total energy increases.
B) Thermal energy from the burner is transferred to the water and as it comes to a boil, the total energy decreases.(C) Some thermal energy is transferred from the burner to the water and the rest is transferred to the surrounding air.
( D) Some mechanical energy is transferred from the burner to the water, some energy is transformed into thermal energy, some is lost to the surrounding air.

Answer 1

The statement (C) 'Some thermal energy is transferred from the burner to the water and the rest is transferred to the surrounding air,' adheres to the Law of Conservation of Energy, as it indicates the transfer of energy in the boiling water scenario without any loss of energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question revolves around the concept of the Law of Conservation of Energy during the process of boiling water on a stove. The correct statement that provides evidence for the Law of Conservation of Energy is (C) 'Some thermal energy is transferred from the burner to the water and the rest is transferred to the surrounding air.' This statement exemplifies that the energy from the stove burner is not lost but is instead redistributed, by heating the water and by heating the surrounding air via convection and radiation.

Understanding the Law of Conservation of Energy is fundamental in physics. It implies that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed from one form to another. In the scenario of a pot of boiling water, the stove burner provides constant thermal energy, which initially increases the water's temperature. Subsequently, even as the water boils, its temperature remains constant while the energy continues to be supplied, indicating that the inputted energy is utilized for the phase change from water to vapor, adhering to the first law of thermodynamics.