Final answer:
The refrigerator doesn't cool the room when opened because it operates based on heat transfer and work that generates more heat than the cooling effect, causing a net increase in room temperature.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you open the door of your refrigerator with the hope of cooling your room, you will find that the room’s temperature actually increases somewhat. The correct answer as to why the refrigerator doesn’t remove heat from the room is option c) The refrigerator's energy consumption leads to a temperature increase in the room.
Air conditioners and refrigerators operate on the principle of heat transfer. They remove energy by heat from a cooler environment and reject it to a warmer one. In the process, work is done by a motor which moves a coolant through the coils. This work generates additional heat which, along with the heat extracted from the fridge's interior, is released into the room. Therefore, even when the fridge is open, it doesn't cool the room; rather, it adds heat to it due to the energy consumed, which ends up as heat in the room. This overall increase in room temperature manifests because the heat released into the room is greater than the cooling effect generated by the cold air coming out of the fridge.