Question

The temperature of a piece of copper with a mass of 95.4 gram increases from 74°C to 99°C as the metal absorbs 849 J of Energy. What is the specific heat of copper?

a) 0.375 J/g°C
b) 0.448 J/g°C
c) 0.628 J/g°C
d) 0.910 J/g°C

Answer 1

The specific heat of copper, based on the student's data, is calculated to be approximately 0.3561 J/g°C, which is closest to the provided answer option (a) 0.375 J/g°C.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the specific heat of copper, we use the formula:

q = mcΔT

where:

• q is the amount of heat absorbed (in joules),
• m is the mass of the substance (in grams),
• ΔT is the change in temperature (in degrees Celsius).

Given the following information:

• Mass m = 95.4 grams,
• Temperature change ΔT = 99°C - 74°C = 25°C,
• Heat absorbed q = 849 J,

We can rearrange the formula to solve for the specific heat (c):

c = q / (mΔT)

Substituting the given values:

c = 849 J / (95.4 g × 25°C)

c = 849 J / (2385 g°C)

c = 0.3561 J/g°C

The closest answer to our calculated specific heat is option (a) 0.375 J/g°C.