Specific Heat of Metal

Question

A 32.4g piece of metal at 100 degrees celsius was placed in 50mL of water at 23 degrees celsius. The final temperature was 30 degrees celsius. What is the specific heat of the metal?

Answer 1

heat lost by metal = heat gained by water

heat = q = mass x specific heat x change in temp = mC∆T

Assuming a density of 1.0 g/ml for water, then...

q = mC∆T = (50 g)(4.184 J/g/deg)(7 deg) = 1464 J of heat gained by the water

1464 J = (32.4 g)(C)(70 deg)

C = 1464 J/(32.4g)(70 deg) = 0.646 J/g/deg = specific heat of metal