Question

What is the specific heat of aluminum if it takes 172 cal to raise the temperature of a 67 g aluminum bar by 12.0 °C?

A) 0.40 cal/g°C
B) 0.25 cal/g°C
C) 0.32 cal/g°C
D) 0.50 cal/g°C

Answer 1

The specific heat of aluminum is calculated using the formula c = Q / (mΔT), which results in approximately 0.215 cal/g°C, closest to 0.25 cal/g°C from the given options.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the specific heat of aluminum, we can use the formula: Q = mcΔT, where Q is the heat energy transferred, m is the mass, c is the specific heat, and ΔT is the change in temperature. Since we are given that 172 cal of heat raised the temperature of the 67 g aluminum bar by 12.0 °C, we can rearrange the formula to solve for c: c = Q / (mΔT).

Plugging the values into the equation gives us: c = 172 cal / (67 g × 12.0 °C). Doing the math, c equals approximately 0.215 cal/g°C, which when we look at the options provided, is closest to option B) 0.25 cal/g°C.