Question

Which will melt more ice when placed on its surface, a kilogram of wood or a kilogram of iron of the same high temperature?

1) A kilogram of wood
2) A kilogram of iron
3) Both will melt the same amount of ice
4) Cannot be determined

Answer 1

Both a kilogram of wood and a kilogram of iron of the same high temperature will melt the same amount of ice.

Step-by-step explanation:

When comparing a kilogram of wood and a kilogram of iron of the same high temperature, both will melt the same amount of ice. The amount of ice that will melt depends on the heat energy transferred from the substance to the ice.

The key concept to understand here is specific heat capacity. Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius per unit mass. Both wood and iron have different specific heat capacities, but since we are comparing equal masses of both, the energy transferred to the ice will be the same for both substances.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 3) Both will melt the same amount of ice.