Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation ~ Item RG142002 ~ Student Performance

A scientist has two identical blocks of steel. She heats one block of steel to 600°F and chills the other to 0°F. She then places the two blocks near each other as pictured below. She leaves the blocks in place for five minutes.

Which of the following statements correctly describes the net transfer of energy between Block A and Block B over those five minutes?

There is a net transfer of energy from Block A to Block B because Block A radiated more energy than it absorbed and Block B absorbed more energy than it radiated.
There is a net transfer of energy from Block A to Block B because Block A radiated energy and Block B absorbed energy. Block A did not absorb any energy and Block B did not radiate any energy.
There is a net transfer of energy from Block A to the surrounding environment, but neither Block A nor Block B absorbed any energy.
There is no net transfer of energy because both Block A and Block B absorbed and radiated the same amount of energy.

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice		Overall	Grades			Gender		Primary Language
		n = 2943	4–5 n = 0	6–8 n = 1552	9–12 n = 1391	Male n = 1390	Female n = 1477	English n = 2631	Other n = 233
A.	There is a net transfer of energy from Block A to Block B because Block A radiated more energy than it absorbed and Block B absorbed more energy than it radiated.	41%	N/A	41%	41%	43%	40%	42%	36%
B.	There is a net transfer of energy from Block A to Block B because Block A radiated energy and Block B absorbed energy. Block A did not absorb any energy and Block B did not radiate any energy.	33%	N/A	31%	35%	32%	34%	33%	36%
C.	There is a net transfer of energy from Block A to the surrounding environment, but neither Block A nor Block B absorbed any energy.	16%	N/A	17%	15%	16%	16%	16%	16%
D.	There is no net transfer of energy because both Block A and Block B absorbed and radiated the same amount of energy.	10%	N/A	11%	9%	9%	11%	10%	11%

Science Assessment

Item RG142002: If Block A is at 600F and Block B is at 0F, there is a net transfer of energy from Block A to Block B because Block A radiated more energy than it absorbed and Block B absorbed more energy than it radiated.