Question

A hot rock is placed on an insulating stand inside a small vacuum chamber. The air inside the chamber is quickly removed. Over time, the sides of the container become warmer, and the rock becomes cooler. Which of the following models best describes the primary mode of energy transfer in this process?

a) Conduction

b) Convection

c) Radiation

d) Advection

Answer 1

The primary mode of energy transfer when a hot rock cools down in a vacuum chamber is radiation, as it does not require a medium and can occur in a vacuum.

correct answer is c. Radiation

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary mode of energy transfer in the scenario where a hot rock cools down in a vacuum chamber, resulting in the sides of the chamber becoming warmer, is radiation. Since the chamber is a vacuum, there's no medium for heat transfer by conduction or convection.

Instead, heat is transferred through the emission of infrared radiation, which is a type of electromagnetic radiation. This process does not require a medium and can occur in a vacuum, making c. radiation the correct option for explaining the heat transfer from the hot rock to the cooler sides of the container.