ASPECt
Energy: Forms, Transformation, Transfer, and Conservation
Item RG157002: When cold air enters a room with warmer air, the colder air will sink toward the floor.
A teacher opens a window in her classroom, letting in air from outside that is colder than the air inside the classroom.
What will happen to the colder air from outside the classroom when it comes into contact with the warmer air inside the classroom?
- The colder air will sink toward the floor.
- The colder air will stay at the same height as the window, neither rising nor sinking.
- The colder air will sink if it is much colder than the air around it; but if it is only a little colder than the air around it, the cold air will not sink.
- The colder air will not sink toward the floor, but the coldness from the air will sink toward the floor and will cool the air that is already there.
Answer Choice |
Overall |
Grades |
Gender |
Primary Language |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 1595 |
4–5 n = 81 | 6–8 n = 860 |
9–12 n = 654 |
Male n = 778 |
Female n = 787 |
English n = 1443 |
Other n = 113 |
|
| A. | 42% | 26% | 44% | 42% | 48% | 37% | 44% | 29% |
| B. | 12% | 21% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 17% |
| C. | 24% | 27% | 24% | 25% | 22% | 27% | 24% | 32% |
| D. | 22% | 26% | 20% | 23% | 19% | 24% | 21% | 22% |