Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
- Exam
- Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
- Subject
- Physics
- Chapter
- Heat Transfer
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2] · Physics · Heat Transfer
A metal rod has one end immersed in boiling water and the other end...
A metal rod has one end immersed in boiling water and the other end immersed in melting ice.
Options
- AEvery part of the rod is in thermal equilibrium with every other part.
- BWe can assign a single temperature to the rod.
- CWe can assign a single temperature to the rod after steady state is reached.
- DThe state of the rod remains unchanged after steady state is achieved.
Correct answer
D. The state of the rod remains unchanged after steady state is achieved.
Step-by-step solution
When one end of a metal rod is in boiling water and the other in melting ice, heat flows from the hotter end to the colder end.
Due to this continuous heat flow, different parts of the rod are at different temperatures. Thus, they are not in thermal equilibrium with each other, and a single temperature cannot be assigned to the entire rod.
Once steady state is reached, the temperature at any specific cross-section of the rod becomes constant with respect to time, though it still varies linearly along the length of the rod. Therefore, a single temperature still cannot be assigned to the rod even in steady state.
Since the macroscopic properties such as the temperature distribution and dimensions do not change with time in the steady state, the state of the rod remains unchanged.
Due to this continuous heat flow, different parts of the rod are at different temperatures. Thus, they are not in thermal equilibrium with each other, and a single temperature cannot be assigned to the entire rod.
Once steady state is reached, the temperature at any specific cross-section of the rod becomes constant with respect to time, though it still varies linearly along the length of the rod. Therefore, a single temperature still cannot be assigned to the rod even in steady state.
Since the macroscopic properties such as the temperature distribution and dimensions do not change with time in the steady state, the state of the rod remains unchanged.