Science for 7th grade question!!

Question

A cold can of soda is taken out of the refrigerator. It slowly warms up until it is at room temperature. Once the soda has warmed up, it has more thermal energy than it had in the refrigerator. Where did this additional thermal energy come from? 

Answer 1

Hi Nancy.  The amount of thermal energy in any object is most directly related to temperature.  And if a body at higher temperature body is in contact with a lower temperature body, thermal energy will flow (in the form of heat, which is defined as thermal energy that is being passed from one body to another) from the higher temperature body to the lower temperature one.

 

So, the question to think about is:  if the soda can (after being removed from the refrigerator) is the recipient of the heat transfer, what higher-temperature body was it in contact with that would transfer thermal energy to it?  Remember that "empty space" on Earth is not really empty, too.  Good luck! And just let me know if you would like to talk about this more.