Final answer:
The specific heat of a substance that absorbs 537 J of energy, with a mass of 34.2 g that experiences a temperature change of 7.3 °C, is calculated to be 2.15 J/g°C.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the specific heat of a substance, we need to divide the amount of energy absorbed by the product of the substance's mass and the temperature change it has undergone. The formula to calculate specific heat (c) is given by:
c = ΔQ / (m × ΔT)
Where ΔQ is the energy absorbed (in joules), m is the mass of the substance (in grams), and ΔT is the change in temperature (in degrees Celsius).
Given that the substance absorbs 537 J of energy, has a mass of 34.2 g, and experiences a temperature change of 7.3 °C, we can substitute these values into the formula:
c = 537 J / (34.2 g × 7.3 °C)
= 537 J / (249.66 g°C)
= 2.15 J/g°C
Therefore, the specific heat of the substance is 2.15 J/g°C.