Multiple choice

Melting ice cools a body better than the same mass of ice-cold water because

  1. ice absorbs latent heat on melting

  2. ice has lower temperature

  3. ice has higher specific heat than water

  4. ice makes better thermal contact than water
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A Correct answer
Explanation

Melting ice provides better cooling because it absorbs latent heat of fusion (334 J/g) during phase change from solid to liquid at 0°C. This energy absorption occurs at constant temperature, extracting significant heat from the body. Ice-cold water at 0°C cannot absorb this latent heat and only provides cooling through its specific heat capacity.

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