Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Answer, and give a reason.
Newton's law of cooling: , so . Over a short interval, the rate is in proportion to the average excess over the surroundings.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) Milk first lowers the temperature at once, and the cooler tea then loses heat more slowly, because the rate goes as the excess.
Step 2. (b) The lid stops evaporation and convection from the surface, so is smaller.
Step 3. (c) No. Once it reaches room temperature, heat stops flowing.
Answer: (a) Smaller excess, slower loss. (b) Less evaporation. (c) No.
Watch out. Evaporation, not just radiation, cools a hot drink a great deal.
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