Final answer:
Two samples with the same mass and temperature may have different final temperatures after absorbing the same amount of heat due to differences in their heat capacities. Heat capacity is the amount of heat needed to change a substance's temperature by 1 degree Celsius and varies between different materials. The heat capacity (C) of a substance is defined as the amount of heat required to change its temperature by 1 degree Celsius.
Step-by-step explanation:
When two different samples with the same mass and temperature absorb equal quantities of energy as heat, their final temperatures can be different if the samples have different heat capacities. The heat capacity (C) of a substance is defined as the amount of heat required to change its temperature by 1 degree Celsius. The reason for the difference is that each material responds to heat differently due to intrinsic properties such as its specific heat capacity, which is the heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of a substance by one degree Celsius.
For example, water has a high specific heat capacity, which means it requires more energy to increase its temperature compared to substances with lower specific heat capacities such as concrete or steel. Therefore, if the same amount of heat is added to equal masses of water and steel initially at the same temperature, the final temperature of the steel will be higher than that of the water, because steel's lower specific heat capacity requires less energy for the same temperature increase.