Question

Question: Suppose that you put a hot object in thermal contact with a cold object and observe (much to your surprise) that heat flows from the cold object to the hot object, making the cold one colder and the hot one hotter. Does this process necessarily violate the first law of thermodynamics? The second law of thermodynamics? Explain.

Short answer

The given process doesn’t violet the first law but violet the second law of thermodynamics.

Step-by-step solution

Write the given data from the question.

The hot object and cold object are in the contact.

Heat flows from cold object to hot object.

Determine that the given process violet the first law of the thermodynamics?

According to the first law of thermodynamics, energy can be transformed from one medium to another medium, but it is impossible to destroy or create the energy.

In the given process, the heat flows from the cold object to the hot object, meaning the energy is not destroyed or created but is transforming from one form to another, making the cold one colder and the hot one hotter.

Determine the given process violet the second law of thermodynamics?

According to the second law of thermodynamics, heat can’t be spontaneously transformed from a colder region to a hotter region until or unless external work is applied.

Therefore, the given process violates the second law of thermodynamics because the heat flows from cold to hot objects without any external work.

Hence the given process doesn’t violet the first law but violet the second law of thermodynamics.