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Chapter 12: Problem 112

Why do citrus growers spray their trees with water to protect them from freezing?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Citrus growers spray their trees with water to protect them from freezing because the water absorbs heat from the environment and, even as it begins to freeze, it releases the heat of fusion keeping trees warmer than the freezing point. This process prevents the trees from freezing and suffering cold damage.

Step by step solution

01

Introduction to heat transfer

The principle of heat transfer is crucial to understand this problem. When two objects come into contact, heat flows from the hotter object to the cooler one until they both have the same temperature - this is to achieve thermal equilibrium.
02

The properties of water

Water has unique physical properties, one of them being a high specific heat capacity. This means that water can absorb a lot of heat before its temperature increases significantly. Hence, when citrus growers spray water on the trees, the water absorbs the heat from the environment and maintains its temperature.
03

The heat of fusion

When water freezes, it undergoes a phase change from liquid to solid which requires the release of energy, also called the heat of fusion. For water to freeze, it has to release this heat which gets transferred to the surrounding trees, keeping them warmer than the freezing point.
04

Protection against freezing

So, when citrus trees are sprayed with water in freezing temperatures, the water absorbs the ambient heat and even when it begins to freeze, it releases the heat of fusion which helps the trees to maintain their temperature above freezing, thus protecting them from damage.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

If you lived in Alaska, state which of these natural gases you would keep in an outdoor storage tank in winter and explain why: methane \(\left(\mathrm{CH}_{4}\right),\) propane \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{3} \mathrm{H}_{8}\right),\) or butane \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{4} \mathrm{H}_{10}\right)\)

Heats of hydration, that is, heat changes that occur when ions become hydrated in solution, are largely due to ion-dipole interactions. The heats of hydration for the alkali metal ions are \(\mathrm{Li}^{+},-520 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{mol}\); \(\mathrm{Na}^{+},-405 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{mol} ; \mathrm{K}^{+},-321 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{mol}\). Account for the trend in these values.

The vapor pressure of liquid \(X\) is lower than that of liquid \(Y\) at \(20^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\), but higher at \(60^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). What can you deduce about the relative magnitude of the molar heats of vaporization of \(X\) and \(Y ?\)

Define phase change. Name all possible changes that can occur among the vapor, liquid, and solid states of a substance.

A solid is hard, brittle, and electrically nonconducting. Its melt (the liquid form of the substance) and an aqueous solution containing the substance do conduct electricity. Classify the solid.
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