Heat question -- Ice cube in a cup of water....

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion centers around a heat transfer problem involving an ice cube placed in water, specifically examining the temperature changes of both substances. The problem involves concepts from thermodynamics, including specific heat capacity and latent heat of fusion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the heat transfer equations and the assumptions underlying them, questioning the signs used in calculations and the appropriateness of temperature scales. Some express confusion regarding the final temperature being higher than initial temperatures.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, offering insights and questioning each other's reasoning. There is recognition of potential errors in calculations and assumptions, particularly regarding heat loss and gain, though no consensus has been reached on the correct approach or final answer.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that heat loss to the surroundings and the cup may not have been adequately considered. There is also mention of the need to use absolute temperatures in calculations, and the discussion reflects uncertainty about the expected temperature change versus final temperatures.

zanyzoya
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Homework Statement


An ice cube of mass 0.01.kg at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius is dropped into a cup containing 0.10kg of water at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius. What is the max estimated change in temperature of the contents of the cup?
SHC of water = 4200J per kg per kelvin
latent heat of fusion of ice = 340000 J per kg

Homework Equations

and attempt at a solution[/B]

heat lost by water = heat gained by ice
mwaterC ΔTwater = mice C ΔTice + mΔL

0.1 x 4200 x ΔTwater = 0.01 x 4200 ΔTice + 0.01 x 340000

420(Tfinal-15) = 42 (Tfinal-0) + 3400
420T - 6300 = 42T + 3400
T= 25 degrees
so change in temperature = 15-25 = -10 degrees celsius
This is wrong as the actual answer is 8.7 K
 
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zanyzoya said:
T= 25 degrees
So the final temperature is higher than all initial temperatures? Doesn't make sense, right?

zanyzoya said:
heat lost by water = heat gained by ice
mwaterC ΔTwater = mice C ΔTice + mΔL
First problem: the left-hand side here doesn't correspond to "heat loss by water."

zanyzoya said:
420(Tfinal-15) = 42 (Tfinal-0) + 3400
Second problem: you have to use absolute temperatures here.
 
Thanks Dr Claude
Re your first point, my understanding is as follows:
As the water cools down it will loose heat equal to mc delta T, also heat will by lost to surroundings and to the cup. Some of this heat which is lost by the water is given to the ice to initially cause a change in state and finally raise its temperature. Am I on the wrong lines here?

I've converted the values to kelvin and I still get the same answer?!?
 
zanyzoya said:
As the water cools down it will loose heat equal to mc delta T, also heat will by lost to surroundings and to the cup. Some of this heat which is lost by the water is given to the ice to initially cause a change in state and finally raise its temperature. Am I on the wrong lines here?
Your approach is correct, but you have to be careful about the signs. (This is a general comment: when you get a final temperature that is higher than the initial temperature, while it should be the other way around, the first thing to check are the signs.)
 
zanyzoya said:
... the actual answer is 8.7 K
That value looks a little high to me. Just melting the ice (ice@0C → water@0C) should take enough heat from the existing liquid water to drop its temperature below that value.
 
gneill said:
That value looks a little high to me. Just melting the ice (ice@0C → water@0C) should take enough heat from the existing liquid water to drop its temperature below that value.
Not that the 8.7K that was asked, is the temperature change and not the final temperature, which is 6.3C.
 
willem2 said:
Not that the 8.7K that was asked, is the temperature change and not the final temperature, which is 6.3C.
Ah. My mistake. I should really pay closer attention to these small details. Thanks :smile:
 
zanyzoya said:
heat gained by ice
zanyzoya said:
42 (Tfinal-0)
So far so good: heat gained is proportional to the final temperature minus the initial temperature.
So for heat lost,
zanyzoya said:
heat lost by water
how should you calculate the temperature difference? Not like this:
zanyzoya said:
420(Tfinal-15)
 

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