What does a refrigerator really do?

Moves heat from inside to outside

What happens in the evaporator coils?

Refrigerant boils and absorbs heat

What does the compressor do?

Squeezes the gas, raising its pressure and temperature

Where does the heat go?

Out through condenser coils into the room

What does the expansion valve do?

Drops the pressure so the refrigerant cools

Refrigerator Cycle Quiz: Compressors, Coils and Coolants

This refrigerator cycle quiz opens the door on the loop that keeps your food cold. Play 10 interactive questions on refrigerants, evaporator coils, the compressor, the warm condenser on the back, the expansion valve, why fridges move heat rather than make cold, CFCs and the ozone layer, safe temperatures and Einstein's fridge.

Start Refrigerator Cycle Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Idea
What does a refrigerator really do?
Fluid
What is the circulating fluid called?
Evaporator
What happens in the evaporator coils?
Compressor
What does the compressor do?
Condenser
Where does the heat go?
Valve
What does the expansion valve do?
CFC
Why were CFC refrigerants phased out?
Temp
What is a good fridge temperature?
Einstein
Which famous scientist co-designed a refrigerator?
Seal
What helps keep cold air from leaking out?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: What does a refrigerator really do?
Answer: Moves heat from inside to outside
Heat is pumped out.
Q2: What is the circulating fluid called?
Answer: Refrigerant
It changes between liquid and gas.
Q3: What happens in the evaporator coils?
Answer: Refrigerant boils and absorbs heat
It cools the inside.
Q4: What does the compressor do?
Answer: Squeezes the gas, raising its pressure and temperature
It is the humming motor.
Q5: Where does the heat go?
Answer: Out through condenser coils into the room
The back of a fridge feels warm.
Q6: What does the expansion valve do?
Answer: Drops the pressure so the refrigerant cools
Then the cycle repeats.
Q7: Why were CFC refrigerants phased out?
Answer: They damaged the ozone layer
The Montreal Protocol acted in 1987.
Q8: What is a good fridge temperature?
Answer: About 3 to 5 degrees Celsius
It slows bacteria.
Q9: Which famous scientist co-designed a refrigerator?
Answer: Albert Einstein
He worked with Leo Szilard.
Q10: What helps keep cold air from leaking out?
Answer: A magnetic door seal
Worn seals waste energy.

Refrigerator Cycle Quiz – Compressors, Coils and Coolants

A refrigerator does not create cold; it moves heat from inside the cabinet to the room. A fluid called refrigerant carries the heat around a closed loop.

Inside, the refrigerant evaporates in the evaporator coils and absorbs heat. The compressor squeezes the gas, the condenser coils on the back release the heat, and an expansion valve drops the pressure so the cycle can begin again.

Older CFC refrigerants damaged the ozone layer and were phased out after the 1987 Montreal Protocol. A fridge works best at about 3 to 5 degrees Celsius with a tight magnetic door seal, and Albert Einstein once co-designed a fridge.

What This Quiz Teaches

Science fans will enjoy these questions.

What a fridge does
How the cycle works
Which parts do what
Why refrigerants changed
How to keep food safe

Did You Know?

Air conditioners use the same basic cycle.
Heat pumps run it in reverse to warm homes.
Leaving space behind a fridge helps it shed heat.
Many modern fridges use isobutane as refrigerant.
Opening the door often makes the compressor work harder.