Thermodynamics (heat loss problem)

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on a thermodynamics problem involving heat loss from a house heated electrically during a winter afternoon. The average energy leakage through the walls was calculated to be 11,250 watts based on the energy expenditure of 45 kWh to maintain a temperature of 20° C. For part (b), the participant attempted to determine the electricity consumption if the house temperature was raised to 23° C, using a proportional relationship based on temperature difference. However, their initial calculation was incorrect, indicating a misunderstanding of how to apply the proportionality concept. The conversation highlights the challenges in applying thermodynamic principles to practical scenarios.
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During 4 hours one winter afternoon, when the outside temperature was 5° C, a house heated by electricity was kept at 20° C with the expenditure of 45 kwh (kilowatt·hours) of electric energy.
(a) What was the average energy leakage in joules per second (watts) through the walls of the house to the environment (the outside air and ground)?
(b) The rate at which energy is transferred between two systems due to a temperature difference is often proportional to their temperature difference. Assuming this to hold in this case, if the house temperature had been kept at 23° C (77° F), how many kwh of electricity would have been consumed?




E=W+Q



I did part a pretty quickly (getting 11250W), but I'm stuck on part B. If the energy transfer is proportional to their temp. difference, I assumed that I could use a proportion to solve it.

so I tried: 23/20=X/45, so X=51.75. Unfortunately it was wrong, and I can't figure out what to do. Please help me!
 
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snowsquirrel1 said:

(b) The rate at which energy is transferred between two systems due to a temperature difference is often proportional to their temperature difference.

See the underlined part above.
 
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