100 g of a liquid is 25 °C and is heated to raise the temperature of the liquid to 50.0 °C. The thermal energy gained by the liquid is 6100 J. The specific heat of the liquid is

Question

100 g of a liquid is 25 °C and is heated to raise the temperature of the liquid to 50.0 °C. The thermal energy gained by the liquid is 6100 J. The specific heat of the liquid is?

Answer 1

To determine specific heat, we can use the equation q = mC∆T

q = heat = 6100 J

m = mass = 100 g

C = specific heat = ?

∆T = change in temperature = 50.0ºC - 25.0ºC = 25.0ºC

6100 J = (100 g)(C)(25.0ºC)

C = 6100 J/(100g)(25.0ºC)

C = 2.44 J/g/ºC (to 3 sig. figs assuming the 100 g of liquid was actually 100.g. Otherwise you should report the answer to only 1 sig. fig., i.e 2 J/g/ºC)