Question

A block of Aluminum is heated from a temperature of 25°C to 55°C. Another block, made of zinc, having double the mass is given the same amount of heat. If the second block also starts at a temperature of 25°C, what is its final temperature?

Specific Heat:
Aluminum = 921 J/(kg °C)
Zinc = 389 J/(kg/ °C)

Answer 1

The final temperature of the zinc block is 3.83°C.

To find the final temperature of the zinc block, we can use the formula Q = mcΔT, where Q is the heat transferred, m is the mass, c is the specific heat, and ΔT is the change in temperature.

Since the mass of the zinc block is double that of the aluminum block, the heat transferred to the zinc block will also be double.

So, if the aluminum block receives energy E to go from 25°C to 55°C, the zinc block will receive 2E to go from 25°C to its final temperature. We can set up the equation as follows:

2E = mcΔT

2E = (2m)cΔTZ

Dividing both sides of the equation by 2mcΔT will give us:

Z = E / mcΔT

Substituting the given values, we have:

Z = E / (2mcΔT)

Z = (921 J/(kg °C)) / [(2 * 2 kg) * (55°C - 25°C)]

Z = 3.83°C