Consider the refrigerator in your kitchen. Based on what you know about the first and second laws of thermodynamics, how does a refrigerator MOST likely work?
A)A refrigerator removes heat from its interior and transports this energy outside, into the kitchen.
B)A refrigerator destroys any heat in its interior, or in the food it contains.
C)A refrigerator creates new energy, although it is in the form of cold rather than heat.
D)A refrigerator removes the potential energy contained within food.
E)A refrigerator both destroys any heat in its interior, or in the food it contains, and creates new energy in the form of cold.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted. The second law of thermodynamics states that in any energy transfer or conversion, some energy will be wasted or lost as unusable energy (typically heat). A refrigerator works by removing heat from its interior and transferring it outside, into the kitchen. It does not destroy any heat, create new energy, or remove potential energy from food. Thus, choice A is the most likely explanation.

Consider the Refrigerator in Your Kitchen