Question

Amy wishes to measure the specific heat capacity of a piece of metal. She places the 75 g piece of metal in a pan of boiling water, then drops it into a cup holding 50 g of water at 22°C. The metal and the water come to an equilibrium temperature of 25°C.

a. Calculate the heat gained by the water.

b. Calculate the heat lost by the metal.

c. Calculate the specific heat of the metal.

Answer 1

QL = heat lost = Sm * Mm * ΔTm

QL = Sm * 75 g * (212 - 25) = 14,000 Sm heat lost by metal

QG = 1 cal/gm deg C * 50 g * (25 - 22) = 150 cal / gm deg C gained water

Since heat loss = heat gained

Sm = 150 / 14,000 = .010 cal / gm deg C