Question

a cold cast iron skillet is placed onto a stove top. when the stove is turned on, the skillet becomes very hot. why does the skillet become hot? a the skillet is losing energy (heat) to the stove. b the stove is gaining energy (heat) from the skillet. c the skillet is gaining energy (heat) from the stove. d a chemical reaction occurs that makes the skillet hot.

Explanation:

To determine why the skillet becomes hot, we analyze heat transfer:

• Option A: If the skillet were losing heat to the stove, it would get colder, not hotter. Eliminate A.
• Option B: The stove is the heat source (when turned on), so it should transfer heat to the skillet, not gain from it. Eliminate B.
• Option C: Heat flows from the hotter stove (when on) to the colder skillet. The skillet gains heat energy, increasing its temperature (becomes hot). This matches.
• Option D: Placing a skillet on a stove involves heat transfer (conduction), not a chemical reaction (no new substances form). Eliminate D.

Answer:

C. The skillet is gaining energy (heat) from the stove.