Exploring the Concept of Heat Energy

What is heat energy and how is it transferred?

Which scenario correctly illustrates heat?

Answer: B

Explanation: The scenario that correctly illustrates heat is a cold person's hands get warmer by holding a rock that has been sitting in the sun.

Heat is a form of energy that is transferred from one object or system to another as a result of a difference in temperature. Heat is a type of thermal energy, which is the total energy associated with the random motion of atoms and molecules within a substance.

Heat can be transferred in three ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction is the transfer of heat energy through a material or between two materials in contact. Convection is the transfer of heat energy by the movement of fluids, such as air or water, and radiation is the transfer of heat energy through electromagnetic waves, such as light or infrared radiation.

In option A), a cold person sitting in a sauna with a temperature of 105° F would actually become warmer due to the transfer of heat from the sauna to the person's body. This scenario illustrates heat transfer, so it is incorrect.

In option C), the ice in a cold glass of water does not melt because the water is below the freezing point of water. This is an example of a lack of heat transfer, which is not relevant to the concept of heat energy.

In option D), the bathtub full of hot water does not get warmer in a cold room because heat energy is lost to the colder surroundings, causing the water to cool down. This depicts heat loss rather than heat transfer, so it is incorrect.

Therefore, option B, which states that a cold person's hands get warmer by holding a rock that has been sitting in the sun, correctly illustrates heat transfer in this scenario.