Question

Which of the following would require the MOST energy to heat from 25 degrees

to 45 degrees?
A. 20 kg of water
B. 20 kg of aluminum
C. 20 kg of steel

Answer 1

To heat from 25°C to 45°C, 20 kg of aluminum would require the most energy compared to 20 kg of water or steel.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the amount of energy required to heat a substance, we need to use the equation Q = mcΔT, where Q is the heat energy, m is the mass of the substance, c is the specific heat capacity, and ΔT is the change in temperature.

Water has a specific heat capacity of 4186 J/(kg-°C), aluminum has a specific heat capacity of 900 J/(kg-°C), and steel has a specific heat capacity of 450 J/(kg-°C). To determine which substance would require the most energy to heat from 25°C to 45°C, we calculate the value of Q for each substance.

1. Water: Q = (20 kg) × (4186 J/(kg-°C)) × (45°C - 25°C) = 167,440 J
2. Aluminum: Q = (20 kg) × (900 J/(kg-°C)) × (45°C - 25°C) = 360,000 J
3. Steel: Q = (20 kg) × (450 J/(kg-°C)) × (45°C - 25°C) = 180,000 J

Based on these calculations, it can be determined that heating 20 kg of aluminum from 25°C to 45°C would require the most energy.