What is the relationship between the specific heat of a metal and the final temperature of the metal-water mixture?

Question

what is the relationship between the specific heat of a metal and the final temperature of the metal-water mixture? I really need help with this question, it is part of a specific heat lab

Answer 1

Remember that the heat lost by the metal is equal to the heat gained by the water b/c of the law of conservation of mass.  So, the higher the c_p of the metal, the warmer the water will get.

 

 

Answer 2

c₁ = specific heat of the metal

m₁ = mass of the metal

T₁ = initial temperature of hot metal

T = final equilibrium temperature reached by both the metal (cooling down) and the water (heating up)

 

c₂ = specific heat of water

m₂ = mass of water

T₂ = initial temperature of cool water

 

Energy conservation requires that

 

c₁m₁(T₁ - T) = c₂m₂(T - T₂)

 

That is the relation.  You can use it to find c₁ if you know the other quantities.