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Two experiments were conducted where either cold air or hot air was blown continuously onto a student's legs while the skin temperature on the student's arm was being measured - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 12 - 2013 - Paper 1
Question 12
Two experiments were conducted where either cold air or hot air was blown continuously onto a student's legs while the skin temperature on the student's arm was bein... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Two experiments were conducted where either cold air or hot air was blown continuously onto a student's legs while the skin temperature on the student's arm was being measured - HSC - SSCE Biology - Question 12 - 2013 - Paper 1
Step 1
Which process best accounts for the trends shown in the graph?
Answer
To determine which process accounts for the temperature changes observed, we should analyze the effects of both hot air and cold air on skin temperature as shown in the graph.
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Analyzing Hot Air Effect: When hot air is blown, the skin temperature increases significantly over time. This indicates that heat is being transferred to the skin. The primary process responsible for this transfer is conduction, as the air molecules collide with the skin surface and transfer energy.
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Analyzing Cold Air Effect: Conversely, when cold air is applied, a decrease in skin temperature is observed. This suggests that heat is being lost from the skin into the surrounding cold air, further supporting the conduction process.
Given these observations, the process that best explains the trends shown in the graph is Conduction, as it encompasses the direct transfer of heat to and from the skin through the air.