Final answer:
Option B is correct for a metal heated to 99.8°C; it absorbs heat. The specific heat can't be calculated without knowing the heat transferred and the final temperature after cooling.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a 55.0g piece of metal is heated to a high temperature, such as 99.8°C, it absorbs heat from its surroundings. This process increases the internal energy of the metal, causing an increase in temperature. The metal does not lose heat until it is placed in a cooler environment where heat can be transferred away from it.
To find the specific heat of the metal, you would need to know the amount of heat absorbed or lost and the temperature change. However, the final temperature of the metal after it cools down is not provided in the initial statement, so you cannot calculate the specific heat from the given information. Only if we had both the heat transfer and the corresponding temperature change could we apply the formula q = mcΔT (where q is the heat transferred, m is the mass of the substance, c is the specific heat, and ΔT is the change in temperature) to find the specific heat.
In summary, option B is correct; the metal absorbs heat when it is heated in boiling water. To calculate the specific heat (option C), additional information, such as the quantity of heat absorbed and the final temperature after heat absorption, is required.