Hot Water vs Cold Water?

Question

If you had 12oz hot water & 12 oz cold water and mixed them together, what actually happens - does the cold water cool down the hot or does the hot heat up the cold?

Answer 1

Well, Hot & Cold are not only subjective (What's Hot for he is cold for me) and relative. Better to think of temperature.

Temperature is the measure of average kinetic energy. The hotter, the more energy and vice versa.

Also, as temperature is an average, some of the "hot" water may be cold. In fact, there could be a several molecules that are frozen - we'd never know - but the average temperature is "hot."

When you mix them heat is transfered from the high average kinetic energy water, "Hot," to the low average kinetic energy water, "Cold." The "Cold" water absorbs the heat in the transfer and the results is as follows...

The "Hot" water is cooled, and the "Cold" water is warmed. The results is 24 oz's of water that has an average kinetic energy, or temperature, higher than that of the "Cold" water, and lower than that of the "Hot."

Answer 2

The hot will heat the cool. First understand; cold does not exist.
There is only heat or lack of it. The molecules of the hot water are vibrating and creating friction which causes heat. Heat is a radiant energy and wants to expand outward. The energy will dissipate into the cooler water until the temperatures (and molecular activity) are equalized. Any excess energy will dissipate to the surrounding air or its container until it becomes "room temperature".

Answer 3

That is irrelevant. In essence, both it happening. Since the volumes are equal, the final temperature will be the middle point of the temperatures. Heat from the hot is being absorbed by the cold one, so, if you had to say one or the other, I would say the hot is heating up the cold.

Answer 4

Heat is a form of energy also known as thermal energy. Heat is transfered from areas of high heat to areas of low heat. So when you add the two, the cold water absorbs energy(heat) from the hot water until they are in equilibrium.

Answer 5

I agree with stimpson since heat energy goes from an area of greater concentration (hot water) to an area of lesss concentration (cold water) until the energy is evenly distributed.

Answer 6

They temper each other, making warm water. It also depends on how hot the hot water is and how cold the cold water is.

Answer 7

you get warm water.

Answer 8

both