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Energy Loss and Melting Time
When the fuse wire is at its melting point, additional energy is needed to melt the wire.
The calculation in Question 10.4 assumes there is no energy transferred to the surroundings.
How would the time taken for the wire to melt be affected if some energy was transferred to the surroundings?
Give a reason for your answer.
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Marking points
- 1 Selects that the time taken would increase.
- 2 Explains that more energy must be transferred in total because some is transferred to the surroundings.
Full-mark answer
Time taken would increase, because extra energy must be supplied to replace the energy transferred to the surroundings, so more energy is needed in total before the wire melts.
Why this answer loses marks
The time stays the same because the wire needs the same melting energy.
This ignores energy transferred to the surroundings. Extra total energy must be supplied, so at the same power the heating takes longer.