Question

A sample of copper has a mass of 100.0 g with a specific heat of 0.385 J/g oC. The sample is initially at 10.0 oC and heated up to 100.0 oC.
a. How much energy did the copper sample absorb?
b. If a 100.0 g sample of aluminum also at 10.0 oC absorbs the same amount of energy as the copper sample in (a), what will the final temperature of the aluminum be? (specific heat of Al is 0.903 J/ goC).
c. What can you say about the specific heat of a substance and the amount of energy the substance can absorb before the temperature increases based on what you did in parts (a) and (b)?

Answer 1

Answer on Question #78231, Chemistry / General Chemistry

Question:

A sample of copper has a mass of 100.0 g with a specific heat of 0.385 J/g°C. The sample is initially at 10.0 °C and heated up to 100.0 °C.

a. How much energy did the copper sample absorb?

b. If a 100.0 g sample of aluminum also at 10.0 °C absorbs the same amount of energy as the copper sample in (a), what will the final temperature of the aluminum be? (specific heat of Al is 0.903 J/g°C).

c. What can you say about the specific heat of a substance and the amount of energy the substance can absorb before the temperature increases based on what you did in parts (a) and (b)?

Solution:

a.

Energy absorbed: $Q = c \cdot m \cdot \Delta T = 0.385 \cdot 100.0 \cdot (100.0 - 10.0) = 3465 \, \text{J}$

b.

From the formula above: $\Delta T = Q / (c \cdot m) = 3465 / (0.903 \cdot 100.0) = 38.4^{\circ} \text{C}$

The final temperature: $10.0 + 38.4 = 48.4^{\circ} \text{C}$

Answer:

a. 3465 J

b. 48.4 °C

c. Specific heat is the energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of material by 1 °C. So, the higher specific heat - the more energy needed for heating (or the rising of temperature will be lower). Other words, specific heat is the measure how much energy material can absorb.