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Item NG062002: A hot cookie will transfer more thermal energy to a cold plate than a cookie that is at room temperature because the temperature difference between the hot cookie and the cold plate is greater than the temperature difference between the cookie at room temperature and the cold plate.

A boy has two identical cookies except that one cookie is hot, and the other cookie is the same temperature as the air in the room.  He places both cookies on a cold plate.  Which cookie will transfer more thermal energy to the plate and why?

  1. The hot cookie will transfer more thermal energy because only hot objects transfer thermal energy. 
  2. The hot cookie will transfer more thermal energy because the temperature difference between the hot cookie and the cold plate is bigger than the temperature difference between the cookie at room temperature and the cold plate.
  3. Both cookies transfer the same amount of thermal energy because they are both the same size, and the amount of thermal energy transferred depends on size but not on temperature.
  4. Neither cookie transfers thermal energy to the plate; instead, coldness is transferred from the plate to the cookies.
Distribution of responses
Answer Choice
Overall
Grades
Gender
Primary Language
 
n = 2890
6–8
n = 1787
9–12
n = 1094
Male
n = 1424
Female
n = 1418
English
n = 2606
Other
n = 214
A. 20% 23% 16% 22% 19% 20% 18%
B. 58% 53% 65% 55% 61% 58% 50%
C. 12% 12% 11% 13% 10% 11% 18%
D. 10% 12% 8% 10% 10% 10% 14%