Final answer:
Using physics and thermodynamics, it is calculated that approximately 288 kg of ice could be melted by the waste heat produced from 1.00 gallon of gasoline, assuming 80% of the gasoline's energy converts to heat. However, this method is impractical due to the mass of ice needed and the environmental control required to use ice as an engine coolant effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves thermodynamics and energy transformation, which are concepts from physics. When dealing with the melting of ice by waste heat from a car engine, it is important to consider how energy from gasoline is converted into heat and the heat required to melt ice. To determine how many kilograms of 0°C ice could be melted by the waste heat produced from 1.00 gallon of gasoline, we will use the heat of fusion for water and the energy content of gasoline.
(a) We can calculate the heat energy available from the gasoline and then use the heat of fusion for water to find the mass of ice that can be melted. If 80.0% of the energy from gasoline is converted to heat, and knowing that 1 gallon of gasoline contains approximately 120 MJ of energy, we find that 0.80 × 120 MJ = 96 MJ is available for melting ice. The heat of fusion of ice is about 333 kJ/kg, therefore the number of kilograms of ice that can be melted is 96,000 kJ / 333 kJ/kg = 288 kg.
(b) and (c) Carrying around 288 kg of ice for every gallon of gasoline consumed is impractical due to the large volume and mass required. It would also be unreasonable to assume that melting ice could efficiently remove heat from the engine without causing other issues such as water management and refreezing in cold conditions. Furthermore, this system neglects the constant availability of ice and the controlled environment necessary for such a cooling method.