Question

A student is investigating thermal energy transfer. The student places two copper blocks, Block 1 at 40°C and the Block 2 at 20°C, next to each other so they make contact. They are allowed to sit in an isolated system until energy transfer has completed. Which picture shows the final temperatures of the blocks?

Answer 1

The final temperatures of the two copper blocks will be the average of their initial temperatures, which is 30°C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The final temperatures of the two copper blocks can be determined using the principle of thermal equilibrium. When two objects at different temperatures come in contact, heat spontaneously flows from the hotter object to the colder object. In this case, Block 1 at 40°C is hotter than Block 2 at 20°C.

The final temperatures of the blocks will be equal when thermal equilibrium is reached. So, the final temperature will be the average of the initial temperatures of the blocks, which is (40°C + 20°C) / 2 = 30°C.

Therefore, the correct picture would be the one where both blocks have a final temperature of 30°C.