Which of the following processes are spontaneous? Check all that apply.

the extraction of iron metal from iron ore

a hot drink cooling to room temperature

drawing heat energy from the ocean's surface to power a ship

the combustion of natural gas

(1) A hot drink cooling to room temperature.

(2) The combustion of natural gas.

Explanation:

The spontaneous process is the process in which there is a release of energy and moves towards lower energy and a more thermodynamically stable energy state. All the natural processes are spontaneous.

There are two processes which are spontaneous in the given question are:

(1) A hot drink cooling to room temperature: In this, there is a decrease in energy and also it is a natural process and we know that all the natural processes are spontaneous.

(2) The combustion of natural gas: The fire is an example of an exothermic reaction. The combustion is a combination of a decrease in energy and an increase in entropy. So, this process occurs spontaneously.