Solving the Mystery of the Sealed Room's Temperature

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the thermal dynamics of a sealed room in space containing an open fridge. Participants explore the implications of energy conservation and thermodynamic principles on the room's temperature over time.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the temperature of the room will rise due to the conservation of energy, as energy from the fridge is converted into heat.
  • Others argue that while the fridge cools the air in front of its door, the heat generated behind it will result in a net increase in temperature within the sealed room.
  • A participant posits that the temperature will eventually balance out, but still remain higher due to the second law of thermodynamics.
  • There is a suggestion that if the fridge continues to run, the temperature will keep rising as more energy is added to the system.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the temperature will rise, but there is some debate regarding the specifics of how the cooling effect of the fridge interacts with the overall energy dynamics in the sealed room.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not resolve the precise mechanisms of heat transfer and energy conversion in this scenario, leaving open questions about the time dynamics and the exact temperature changes over time.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying thermodynamics, energy conservation, or anyone curious about the implications of closed systems in physics.

just_a_quicky
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A colleague has just posed this question and I need some help.

There is a sealed room in space that has no external infulences.

Inside the room is a fridge. The fridge is powered on and its door is open.

The question is, what happens to the temperature of the room ?
 
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Seems very much like a homework problem.

What do you think will happen?
 
Higher.
Because the conservation of the energy.
If you use the energy of the electricity, then the energy must convert into other forms.
 
Not homework - just something to talk about at work.

I think the obvious answer is that the temperature will rise - power is being put into a sealed system - therefore the effect is that the energy being put in will cause heat to be generated.

But I am curious about whether the cooling aspect of the fridge would have any effect.
 
I think...
..while the fridge is running, the temperature in front of the door is really falling (your cooling effect) and the temperature behind the fridge is rising, but more than it is falling in front of the door...

after some time the fridge will consume all the energy added...and temperature will balance...and of course the result is higher temperature (due to 2nd Thermodynamic law).
 
What happens next then if the fridge is constantly running, surely the temperature just keeps rising - more energy in = more heat ?
 
yes. exactly.
and the time the fridge is running depends on amount of energy for the fridge in the system at the beginning. (sealed system).
 
Cool, thanks for your help.
 
just_a_quicky said:
Cool, thanks for your help.

Was that a pun?

:)

Zz.
 

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