Final answer:
A.Bridges and overpasses. Bridges and overpasses freeze first when wet due to their exposure to colder air from above and below, losing heat more rapidly. Intersections and tunnels take longer to freeze because they receive some heat from the ground or have insulation from colder air.
Step-by-step explanation:
When it comes to roadways freezing first when wet, physics can help us understand the phenomenon. The correct answer is A. Bridges and overpasses. Bridges and overpasses freeze first because they are exposed to colder air from both above and below the roadway. This causes the bridge or overpass to lose heat more rapidly than other roadways, leading to faster freezing.
Physics explains this based on the principle of heat transfer. Bridges and overpasses have less thermal mass compared to other roadways, and they do not receive as much heat from the ground. This means that when wet, they can freeze quickly.
Intersections and tunnels, on the other hand, do not freeze as quickly as bridges and overpasses. Intersections are located at ground level, where they receive some heat from the ground. Tunnels are below ground level, which provides some insulation from colder air. Consequently, they take longer to freeze compared to bridges and overpasses.