How Thermal Energy Transfers in a Bowl of Hot Soup

What happens when a metal spoon is placed in a bowl of hot soup?

a. The kinetic energy of particles in the spoon will increase as thermal energy moves from the soup to the spoon

b. The kinetic energy of particles in the soup will increase as thermal energy moves from the spoon to the soup

c. The kinetic energy of particles in the spoon will decrease as thermal energy moves from the soup to the spoon

d. The kinetic energy of particles in the spoon will decrease as thermal energy moves from the spoon to the soup

Answer: Choice A

When a metal spoon is placed in a bowl of hot soup, the kinetic energy of particles in the spoon will increase as thermal energy moves from the soup to the spoon. This is due to the transfer of thermal energy from the hot soup to the cooler spoon.

When an object with a lower temperature is placed near or in contact with an object with a higher temperature, thermal energy transfers from the hotter object to the cooler object. In the case of the metal spoon in the hot soup, the thermal energy from the soup is transferred to the spoon, causing the kinetic energy of the particles in the spoon to increase.

As the spoon absorbs the thermal energy from the hot soup, the particles in the spoon gain kinetic energy and begin to move more vigorously. This increase in kinetic energy results in a rise in temperature of the spoon as the thermal energy is transferred to it.

Therefore, the correct answer is choice A: the kinetic energy of particles in the spoon will increase as thermal energy moves from the soup to the spoon when the spoon is placed in a bowl of hot soup.