thermal energy (A) decreases to zero (B) decreases by about 25% (C) stays about the same (D) decreases by about 10% A rod is one foot long at room temperature, but when dropped in its length increases by 0.1 inches. What is the linear thermal expans of the material that the rod is made of?

The correct option is:

(C) stays about the same

When you cool an object from room temperature (20°C) to freezing (0°C), its thermal energy does not decrease to zero, decrease by about 25%, or decrease by about 10%. Instead, it stays about the same.

Explanation:

1. Thermal Energy: Thermal energy is the total energy of all the particles (atoms and molecules) within an object. It is directly related to the temperature of the object. The thermal energy of an object depends on the kinetic energy of its particles, which increases as the temperature increases.

2. Cooling Process: When you cool an object, you are removing thermal energy from it. This typically involves transferring heat from the object to its surroundings. As the object loses thermal energy, its temperature decreases.

3. In the scenario described (cooling from 20°C to 0°C), the object is indeed losing thermal energy as it cools down. However, it is important to note that it does not lose all of its thermal energy, nor does it decrease by a specific percentage like 25% or 10%. Instead, it simply loses enough thermal energy to lower its temperature from 20°C to 0°C.

4. Conservation of Energy: According to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transferred or converted from one form to another. In the case of cooling, the thermal energy lost by the object is transferred to its surroundings, often in the form of heat.

So, the thermal energy of the object remains in the system, but it has been redistributed to the surroundings, resulting in a decrease in temperature but not a decrease in total thermal energy. Therefore, option (C) "stays about the same" is the correct choice.