Question

Putting a lid on a boiling pot greatly reduces the heat transfer necessary to keep it boiling. Explain why.

(a) Reduces conduction
(b) Reduces convection
(c) Reduces radiation
(d) Reduces conduction and convection

Answer 1

A boiling pot with a lid on reduces the heat transfer needed to maintain boiling by minimizing conduction and convection, keeping more heat and steam contained within the pot.

Step-by-step explanation:

Putting a lid on a boiling pot greatly reduces the heat transfer necessary to keep it boiling because it reduces both conduction and convection. With the lid on, the steam and heat cannot escape into the air easily, which means less energy is required to maintain the temperature of the liquid inside the pot. The convection process inside the pot also contributes to heat transfer, where hotter water rises and cooler water sinks. A lid reduces the convective heat loss to the environment, thereby containing more of the heat within the pot.