Specific heat for Chemistry

Question

A 121 g piece of metal is heated to 282 degree Celsius and dropped into a 85.0 gram of water at 26.0 degree Celsius. If the final temperature of water and metal is 58.4 degree Celsius, what is the the specific heat of the metal?

Answer 1

This is example in which energy (in the form of heat) is conserved. Your metal is at a higher temperature than the water so it will lose heat, which we can calculate using q=mass x specific heat capacity x ΔT. The heat is then transferred to the water. One way to set up your calculation is: q metal + q_H2O = 0

 

mass metal = 125 g

specific heat = x

ΔT = 24 C - 288 C

 

mass water = 88 g

specific heat = 4.184 J/gC

ΔT = 24C-12C

 

125 g(x)(-264 C) + 88g(4.184J/gC)(12C)=0

-3300x + 4418.304 = 0

   x = 0.134 J/gC