Energy changes in a kettle
Question:
What energy changes occur in a kettle/jug?
Answer:
Let's
assume it is an electric kettle.
So:
Electrical energy input is converted to heat energy in the kettle. Some will be lost, not all the
electrical energy is converted to heat energy within the water.
There will be radiation
to the outside and the amount of radiation will depend on how hot the kettle is compared with
the room it is in (the bigger the temperature difference between the kettle and the room the
more radiation) and also the surface of the kettle (Black surfaces radiate better than shiny
ones).
In the end the water will boil and the electrical energy will then be used in
turning the water to steam, that is assuming that the kettle does not turn itself off then. (You
need to look up Latent Heat for this change).
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