If the water starts at 185°F, what is its current temperature if it cools down to 140°F?

The correct answer to the question is 140°F, as it explicitly states that the water cools down to this temperature. When the water starts at 185°F and cools, it transitions to a lower temperature, which is precisely indicated as 140°F in the question.

This means that if you monitor the cooling process, you would see the temperature decrease until it reaches 140°F, at which point that is the current temperature of the water. The answer directly reflects the end state of the cooling process.

Understanding this concept is fundamental in thermodynamics and process control, where tracking the temperature changes of a substance is critical for maintaining desired operational conditions.