Final answer:
Heat transfer is the movement of energy due to a temperature difference and cannot be stored, while internal energy is the total energy stored within a system's particles. The correct answer is b) Heat transfer is in transit; Internal energy is stored.
Step-by-step explanation:
Heat transfer and internal energy are concepts in thermodynamics that represent different aspects of energy within a physical system. Heat transfer is an energy in transit, occurring when there is a temperature difference between two systems or parts of a system. It is a process and cannot be stored within a system. Instead, heat transfer is the movement of energy from one place to another, often resulting in a temperature change. For example, when sunlight heats the air in a bicycle tire, this energy is in transit until it is distributed uniformly throughout the system.
On the other hand, internal energy refers to the energy stored within the system, which is the total of all kinetic and potential energies of the system's particles. Internal energy can be changed by heat transfer or work, but it is not itself in transit; it is a property of the system. An example is the energy contained within the food we eat, which is stored as molecular potential energy and can later be converted to kinetic energy or other forms of potential energy within our bodies.
The correct answer to the question would be b) Heat transfer is in transit; Internal energy is stored. Neither heat transfer nor work done on a system are stored as such; instead, they can change the internal energy of the system. Once a temperature increase from either heat or work has occurred, it is impossible to tell which was the cause, highlighting the difference between energy in transit and energy that resides within a system.