What will happen if the door of a running refrigerator is left open in a closed room?
- AThe room temperature will rise
- BThe room temperature will fall
- CThe room temperature will not be affected
- DThe room temperature will first go up and later go down
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (a) The room temperature will rise
Explanation
A refrigerator is a heat pump. It takes heat out of its inside compartment and releases it, together with the energy used by its compressor, from the coils at the back into the room.
With the door open, the heat it removes from the room returns to the room, but the work done by the motor is also turned into heat. So the room gains heat overall and its temperature rises. Leaving a fridge door open cannot cool a closed room.