Final answer:
The specific heat of the iron sample is 0.0270 cal/g °C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The specific heat of a substance is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of the substance by 1 degree Celsius. In this case, we need to calculate the specific heat of a 300.0g sample of iron. Given that it took 1000.0 cal to raise the temperature by 123 degrees Celsius, we can use the formula q = mcΔT, where q is the heat energy, m is the mass, c is the specific heat, and ΔT is the change in temperature. Rearranging the formula, we have c = q / (m * ΔT). Plugging in the known values, we get c = 1000.0 cal / (300.0g * 123°C) = 0.0270 cal/g °C. Therefore, the specific heat of the iron sample is 0.0270 cal/g °C.