During a calorimetry experiment, the specific heat of a metal is unknown. A hot piece of metal is dropped into a cool sample of water, and thermal equilibrium is reached. Which of the following statements describes the heat transfer process?

The metal is the surrounding that absorbs heat, which is an endothermic process.
The water is the surrounding that absorbs heat, which is an endothermic process.
The metal is the system that releases heat, which is an endothermic process.
The water is the system that releases heat, which is an endothermic process.