203k views
4 votes
In a model solar panel the copper pipes have a mass of 0.4 kg and contain 0.6 kg of water. the initial temperature of the pipes and water is 15°c. calculate how much energy was supplied by the sun if the final temperature of the panel is 30°c.

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

To find the energy supplied by the sun to heat copper pipes and water, we add the energy required to heat each material separately using the formula Q = m ⋅ c ⋅ ΔT.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the energy supplied by the sun to heat the copper pipes and water from 15°C to 30°C, we use the specific heat capacity formula Q = m ⋅ c ⋅ ΔT, where Q is the heat energy, m is the mass, c is the specific heat capacity, and ΔT is the change in temperature.

Both copper and water have specific heat capacities: for copper, it is approximately 385 J/(kg°C), and for water, it is 4,180 J/(kg°C). The total energy Q_total is the sum of the energy required to heat the copper Q_copper and the water Q_water.

The calculation would be as follows: Q_copper = 0.4 kg ⋅ 385 J/(kg°C) ⋅ (30°C - 15°C) and Q_water = 0.6 kg ⋅ 4,180 J/(kg°C) ⋅ (30°C - 15°C). After performing the calculations, we add these values to obtain the total energy supplied by the sun, expressed in joules.

User Arijeet Saha
by
8.4k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.