Final answer:
The substance with the lowest specific heat capacity will have the greatest change in temperature when absorbing a set amount of heat. Usually, metals have lower specific heat capacities compared to water, meaning one of the metals will experience the greatest temperature change.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which of the following substances would have the greatest change in temperature upon absorbing 100 joules of heat—water, iron, aluminum, or copper—we must consider the concept of specific heat capacity. The specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius. Substances with a lower specific heat capacity will experience a larger temperature change when absorbing the same amount of heat compared to substances with a higher specific heat capacity. In this case, we need to compare the specific heat capacities of the substances to determine which will experience the greatest temperature change.
Typically, water has a high specific heat capacity, while metals like iron, aluminum, and copper have lower specific heat capacities. Therefore, if each substance absorbs the same amount of heat, the metal with the lowest specific heat capacity will undergo the largest temperature change.