Question

Alex is performing an experiment. He starts with a solution that has a temperature of 2.2°C. After an hour, the temperature of the solution is -10.85°C. Which equation can be used to find x, the solution’s temperature change in degrees Celsius?

A) x = 2.2 - 10.85
B) x = 2.2 + 10.85
C) x = 10.85 - 2.2
D) x = 10.85 + 2.2

Answer 1

To find the solution's temperature change, the correct equation is A) x = 2.2 - (-10.85), representing the drop in temperature as the solution goes from 2.2°C to -10.85°C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The equation that can be used to find x, the solution’s temperature change in degrees Celsius, when the initial temperature was 2.2°C and the final temperature is -10.85°C, is A) x = 2.2 - (-10.85).

To find the change in temperature, you subtract the final temperature from the initial temperature. Since the final temperature is colder and therefore a negative number, subtracting a negative is the same as adding its absolute value.

Thus, the correct equation represents the increase in temperature as a positive value indicating that heat has been lost (temperature dropped) from the system.