Question

the thermal energy in a hot iron flows into a shirt. what can possibly be said about this situation?
○ the iron is warmer than the shirt.
○ the iron has less energy than the shirt.
○ the iron is 92°c and the shirt is 96°c.
○ the iron has less heat than the shirt.

Explanation:

Thermal energy (heat) flows from a warmer object to a cooler one. For the iron's thermal energy to flow into the shirt, the iron must be warmer (higher temperature) than the shirt. The second option is wrong as the iron has more thermal energy (since heat flows out of it). The third option is wrong because if the shirt were hotter (96°C) than the iron (92°C), heat would flow from the shirt to the iron. The fourth option is incorrect as heat is the transfer of thermal energy, and the iron is releasing heat (so it has more thermal energy available to transfer, meaning it's not that it has less heat; rather, temperature drives heat flow).

Answer:

A. The iron is warmer than the shirt.