Final answer:
The specific heat capacity of a substance can be used to determine its identity. By calculating the specific heat using the formula q = mcΔT, we can identify the metal. Specific heat is a characteristic property of a substance, allowing us to confidently determine its identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The specific heat capacity of a substance can be used to determine its identity. Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius. It is usually measured in J/g°C. In this case, we can calculate the specific heat of the metal using the formula:
q = mcΔT
where q is the heat absorbed by the metal, m is the mass of the metal, c is the specific heat capacity of the metal, and ΔT is the change in temperature.
By substituting the given values into the formula and solving for c, we can identify the metal.
Specific heat is a characteristic property of a substance, so by comparing the calculated specific heat value to the known specific heat values of different metals, we can confidently determine the identity of the metal.