A small piece of hot metal is placed in cooler water. The metal is left in the water
until the metal and water have the same temperature (they are in thermal equilibrium).
Based on the conservation of energy, which of the following statements about the energy
of the metal and water system is true?


a) the amount of energy lost by the metal is less than the amount of energy gained by the water

b) the amount of energy lost by the metal is equal to the amount of energy gained by the water

c) the amount of energy lost by the metal is greater than the amount of energy gained by the water