Question

Calculate the heat lost or gained.

Q = mcΔT

A piece of copper with a mass of 2.5 g was heated from 20 degrees Celsius to 80 degrees Celsius. How much energy was used to heat the copper? The specific heat of copper is 0.3845 J/gºC.

A. 57.68 J
B. 150 J
C. 19.22 J
D. 0.3845 J

Answer 1

The energy used to heat a piece of copper from 20 °C to 80 °C, with a mass of 2.5 g and a specific heat of 0.3845 J/g°C, is 57.68 joules (option A).

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the heat (Q) absorbed or released by a substance, we can use the equation Q = mcΔT, where:

• m is the mass of the substance,
• c is the specific heat capacity of the substance, and
• ΔT is the change in temperature.

For the piece of copper, we have:

• Mass (m) = 2.5 g,
• Specific heat (c) = 0.3845 J/g°C,
• Initial temperature = 20 °C,
• Final temperature = 80 °C,
• ΔT (Change in temperature) = Final temperature - Initial temperature = 80 °C - 20 °C = 60 °C.

Substituting these values into the equation, we get:

Q = (2.5 g)(0.3845 J/g°C)(60 °C) = 57.68 J

Therefore, the energy used to heat the copper is 57.68 joules, which corresponds to option A.