Which statement is true of a piece of ice at [tex]$0^{\circ} C$[/tex] that is put into a freezer at [tex]$-18^{\circ} C$[/tex]?

A. The ice cube will lose thermal energy to the surroundings.
B. The ice cube will remain unchanged.
C. The ice cube will gain mass from the surroundings.
D. The ice cube will gain thermal energy from the surroundings.



Answer :

Let's analyze the situation step-by-step:

1. Initial Conditions:
- The ice cube is initially at [tex]\(0^{\circ}C\)[/tex].
- The freezer is at [tex]\(-18^{\circ}C\)[/tex].

2. Thermodynamic Principles:
- According to the second law of thermodynamics, heat transfer occurs from a body at a higher temperature to a body at a lower temperature until thermal equilibrium is reached.
- Since the ice cube is at [tex]\(0^{\circ}C\)[/tex] (which is higher than [tex]\(-18^{\circ}C\)[/tex]), heat will transfer from the ice cube to the colder environment of the freezer.

3. Possible Outcomes:
- Statement A: The ice cube will lose thermal energy to the surroundings.
This is possible because the freezer is at a lower temperature than the ice cube (i.e., [tex]\(-18^{\circ}C\)[/tex] is lower than [tex]\(0^{\circ}C\)[/tex]), so the ice cube would transfer heat to the colder environment.

- Statement B: The ice cube will remain unchanged.
This cannot be true because there will be a temperature difference that will cause the ice to lose thermal energy.

- Statement C: The ice cube will gain mass from the surroundings.
This cannot happen because mass does not spontaneously increase without an external source or other specific conditions being met.

- Statement D: The ice cube will gain thermal energy from the surroundings.
This is not possible because the surroundings (freezer at [tex]\(-18^{\circ}C\)[/tex]) are colder than the ice cube ([tex]\(0^{\circ}C\)[/tex]), making thermal energy transfer to the ice cube impossible under these conditions.

4. Conclusion:
- Considering the principles of heat transfer and the given conditions, the only true statement is:
* Statement A: The ice cube will lose thermal energy to the surroundings.

Thus, the correct answer is:
A. The ice cube will lose thermal energy to the surroundings.