Question

Why doesn't tea left on the side get colder than room temperature?

A. Tea contains insulating properties that maintain its warmth.
B. Room temperature adapts to the liquid's heat, preventing further cooling.
C. The laws of thermodynamics restrict liquids from cooling below room temperature.
D. Tea naturally reaches equilibrium with the room's thermal energy, halting further cooling.
E. Room temperature acts as a barrier, preventing any decrease in the tea's warmth.

Answer 1

Tea doesn't get colder than room temperature because it reaches thermal equilibrium with the room, according to the laws of thermodynamics, which is reflected in answer option D.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason tea doesn't get colder than room temperature is because of the laws of thermodynamics, where objects in contact with each other will eventually reach thermal equilibrium. This means that the tea will give off heat to the room until it reaches the same temperature as the room.

The correct answer is D: Tea naturally reaches equilibrium with the room's thermal energy, halting further cooling. When you add an ice cube to the tea, the heat of phase changes is important. The tea will transfer heat to the ice, causing it to melt. The final temperature of the tea and the melted ice will be in between their initial temperatures.

The thermal energy from the warmer tea is transferred to the colder ice until they both reach the same temperature.