Solved: Does a refrigerator full of food consume more

Solution 15DQ

Step 1:

All heat transfer depends on the greater the difference in temperature between two systems the faster heat will flow.when you add heat energy to a full refrigerator,the system has greater heat capacity so the temperature changes more slowly and is greater than it would be in an empty refrigerator.

If the refrigerator could keep the temperature absolutely constant at all times the difference would not matter.because a real system cools and then stops cooling in discrete steps,a loaded refrigerator acquires heat from the environment slightly faster because it stays colder for longer.

The difference is so small though that it could not be measured.but if a refrigerator only cycles on at a specific temperature there will be no difference.