Final answer:
The heat capacity of the kettle is 5000 J/°C. The heating element will have released 400,000 joules of energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The heat capacity of an object is the amount of heat energy required to raise its temperature by 1 degree Celsius. In this case, the kettle contains water with a heat capacity of 5000 J/°C. To calculate the heat energy released by the heating element, we can use the equation:
Energy released = heat capacity × change in temperature.
Substituting the values, we get:
Energy released = 5000 J/°C × (88°C - 8°C) = 400,000 J.
Therefore, the heating element will have released 400,000 joules of energy.