Bennett Mechanical Thermodynamics and Heat Questions and Answers

Question 1

A bimetallic strip is constructed by bonding a strip of steel to a strip of copper. Copper has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than steel. If the straight strip is uniformly heated, how will it respond?

Accepted Answer

It will bend with the steel on the inside (concave side) of the curve.

Answer

When heated, both metals expand, but copper expands more than steel for the same temperature change. Because the two strips are bonded together, the only way to accommodate the copper strip becoming longer than the steel strip is for the entire assembly to bend. The longer material (copper) will form the outer, longer arc of the curve, forcing the shorter material (steel) to be on the inside of the curve.

Question 2

To most effectively heat a room using natural air circulation, where should a hot air vent be placed?

Accepted Answer

Low on a wall, near the floor.

Answer

This placement utilizes the principle of convection. Hot air is less dense than cold air, causing it to rise. By introducing hot air near the floor, it rises and displaces the cooler, denser air at the top of the room. This displaced cool air then sinks, is drawn towards the vent to be heated, and continues the cycle, creating a natural circulation that efficiently warms the entire space.

Question 3

A person stands at an equal distance from four large, flat plates, all heated to the same high temperature. Which plate will radiate the most heat to the person?

Accepted Answer

A rough, matte black plate.

Answer

The amount of thermal energy an object radiates is dependent on its surface properties. Dark, matte (non-shiny) surfaces are the most effective emitters and absorbers of thermal radiation. Therefore, the rough, matte black plate will radiate the most heat towards the person compared to the reflective or lighter-colored surfaces.

Question 4

On a day when the room temperature is 70°F (21°C), why does a metal doorknob feel colder to the touch than a wooden door?

Accepted Answer

The metal has a higher rate of thermal conductivity.

Answer

Both the doorknob and the door are at the same ambient room temperature. However, metal is an excellent thermal conductor, while wood is an insulator. When you touch the doorknob, it rapidly conducts heat away from your hand, creating the sensation of cold. The wood conducts heat much more slowly, so it doesn't draw heat from your hand as quickly and therefore doesn't feel as cold.

Question 5

Sweating cools the body down on a hot day. This cooling effect is primarily a result of:

Accepted Answer

The evaporation of sweat, which requires energy taken from the skin.

Answer

The process of a liquid changing to a gas (evaporation) requires a significant amount of energy, known as the latent heat of vaporization. This energy is drawn from its immediate surroundings, which in this case is the skin. As sweat evaporates, it takes this thermal energy from the skin, thereby lowering the skin's temperature and cooling the body.

Bennett Mechanical Test Practice Test

Bennett Mechanical Test Practice Test

Bennett Mechanical Thermodynamics and Heat Questions and Answers