Question

Which of the following explanations best describes how the chemical energy stored in the log compares to the heat and light energy produced by burning?

Answer 1

Answer:

This question is incomplete, as it lacks options. The options are:

A. chemical energy is the same and additional energy is produced as heat and light.

B. chemical energy is more than the amount of heat and light

C. the amount of chemical energy is less than the amount of heat and light energy

D. the amount of chemical energy equals the amount of heat and light energy.

The answer is D

Explanation:

According to the first law of thermodynamics, which is the LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY, energy is neither created nor destroyed but can only be changed from one form to another. This law states that no energy in a system is lost, hence, the input energy must be equal to the output energy.

When a log of wood is burnt, the chemical energy stored in it is converted to heat energy and light energy. Based on the law of conservation of energy, the amount of chemical energy present in the log before the burning process must equal the amount of light and heat energy it changed to after the burning process.

That is, chemical energy = light energy + heat energy.