Final answer:
Among the given scenarios, D. water evaporating is the process that will absorb heat, as it is an endothermic reaction requiring the absorption of energy to proceed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question posed asks which of the following scenarios will absorb heat. To determine this, we must identify processes that are endothermic, in which a system absorbs heat from its surroundings. From the provided options, water evaporating is an example of an endothermic process, as heat is absorbed to convert water from a liquid to a gaseous state.
When water evaporates, it requires energy in the form of heat to break the bonds holding water molecules together in the liquid state, which is why evaporative processes, like sweating, help cool the body down. This example aligns with the Endothermic principle mentioned in Exercise 10.4.1, where water evaporating off a shower door is classified as endothermic. Similarly, the rusting of steel wool (option c) is also an endothermic process; however, in a practical sense, it absorbs less heat than a process like water evaporating because it usually occurs over a longer period and does not require as much heat absorption to proceed. Other options, such as rubbing sticks together (option a) and burning wood (option b), involve exothermic reactions where heat is released rather than absorbed.