Question

For an experiment, you place 15 g of ice with a temperature of -10 C into a cup and label
a. You also place 25 g of ice at the same temperature into another cup and label it
b. Which of the following statements is true?
A) The average kinetic energy of the ice in cup A is less than that in cup
b.
B)The average kinetic energy of the ice in cup A is greater than that cup in
b.
C)The average kinetic energy of the ice cup A is equal to that in cup
b.
D)The average kinetic energies of the ice in cup A and the ice in cup B are not comparable.

Answer 1

The correct answer is c. Temperature is the average kinetic energy of a sample so if two samples have the same temperature they will also have the same average kinetic energy. I hope this helps. Let me know if anything is unclear.

Answer 2

Average kinetic energy is given by the formula:

KE(average) = 3/2*k*T

where k = Boltzmann constant = 1.38*10⁻²³ J/K

T = temperature in Kelvin (K)

Thus, the average KE is dependent only on temperature and independent of mass.

Since the temp in Cup A and B remains the same, the average KE will also be the same.

Ans C)