This is a silly thing, but something I've often wondered about.

 

Please forgive me if I've posted it in the wrong place.

 

The experiment would go like this-

 

Take 4 equal measures of water

2 at 100 degrees c (or 99 degrees to still be liquid)

2 at 0 degrees c (or 1 degree to still be liquid)

Put 1 hot into 1 cold measure,

and 1 cold into 1 hot measure of water, at the same time, all at once, and then repeat the experiment slowly so that you can observe the temperature change over time to see if that would make a difference.

 

Would both of these, now double measures of water, reach 50 degrees at the same time?

 

In other words, can you heat something up, quicker than you can cool it down, or the other way around, or does it indeed make any difference at all?

 

I did say it was a silly question. I don't know if the results would even reveal anything useful, I just wonder about it sometimes.

Edited May 1, 201510 yr by mpmcd101

Why don't you try it and see?

 

But be careful you don't scald yourself

I would, but I think to get any meaningful results, you would need equipment far more accurate than anything I could lay my hands too. LOL

Since this obviously interests you perhaps you would like to know that Newton's law of heat transfer states for you mixing circumstances that

 

The rate of heat transfer is directly proportional to the temperature difference and independent of the quantity of heat.

 

Can you make anything of that?

Does it basically mean I'm a bit stupid for not knowing that it makes no difference at all whether you add hot to cold, or cold to hot, the result will be the same? LOL

 

Thanks studiot for taking time to read and comment, I do appreciate it.

 

I don't even know why, but it's been in the back of my head for years, and now I know. What will I put in that space now?

 

Mark

Edited May 1, 201510 yr by mpmcd101

The data for "how much heat does it take to warm up some ice" is available

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ice-thermal-properties-d_576.html

Other comparable data are also available.

Thank you John, I'll have a look

Does it basically mean I'm a bit stupid for not knowing that it makes no difference at all whether you add hot to cold, or cold to hot, the result will be the same? LOL

 

Thanks studiot for taking time to read and comment, I do appreciate it.

 

I don't even know why, but it's been in the back of my head for years, and now I know. What will I put in that space now?

 

Mark

Common sense is not always right, so, it's always worth asking if you don't know.

You are mistaken. I can defend the position. Write to me in PM, we will talk.

You are mistaken. I can defend the position. Write to me in PM, we will talk.

 

!

Moderator Note

No. This is a discussion forum. If you wish to defend any position, talk in the open, please. If you have non-commercial knowledge to share, please share with everyone.