Explain why ice melts in a cup at room temperature, in terms of energy transfer and the second law of thermodynamics.

The second law of thermodynamics describes the direction in which heat is transferred between systems, heat is a form of energy in transition.

This law says that heat or energy always flows spontaneously from the body or system with a higher temperature to a lower temperature system (from something hot to something cold, and not the other way around).

This is why if we leave an ice at room temperature it will eventually melt, because the environment transferred energy to the ice and caused its temperature to increase and thus to turn into a liquid form.

The second law can also be interpreted in terms of entropy, and tells us that entropy, which is often interpreted as a measure of disorder, always increases.

note: the given question is incomplete.

complete question is given below.

which is an example of kinetic energy?

a. the energy stored in ethanol  

b. a hockey puck sliding across the ice  

c. a compressed spring  

d. a ball sitting at the top of a ramp

solution: the kinetic energy is the energy posses by the virtue of the motion of the object.

in the given options, a, c and d are the example of potential energy because it is the energy posses by the virtue of the rest of the object. but option b has the kinetic energy as the object is in motion.

hence, a hockey puck sliding across the ice   is the apex example of kinetic energy.

so, the option (b) a hockey puck sliding across the ice   is the correct option.