Question

A 100 gram mass of brass was heated to 100⁰C and then places in a styrofoam cup containing 150 grams of paraffin at 20^oC. After stirring the final temperature reached 29^oC.

i. Determine the specific heat of paraffin

ii. State one assumption you made in your calculations in (i.) above.

[specific heat capacity of brass = 3806jkg^-1K^-1]

Answer 1

Gives

$M_b=100\times10^{-3} kg$

$T_b=100°c$

$M_p=150\times10^{-3}kg$

$T_i=20°c$

$T_f=29°c$

Specific heat of paraffine

$M_b s∆T=M_ps∆T$

$$100\times10^{-3}\times3806\times100=150\times20^{-3}s(29-20)$$

S=28192.59jkg^-1K^-1