Thermal equilibrium

Question

In the laboratory a student determines the specific heat of a metal.

He heats 18.7 grams of nickel to 98.36 °C and then drops it into an insulated cup containing 81.2 grams of water at 21.50 °C. When thermal equilibrium is reached, he measures the final temperature to be 23.41 °C.

Assuming that all of the heat is transferred to the water, he calculates the specific heat of nickel to be BLANK  J/g°C.

Answer 1

See a previous question that you posted about aluminum and this is very similar. Here you are asked to find the C (specific heat) for the nickel.

HEAT LOST BY HOT NICKEL MUST EQUAL HEAT GAINED BY COLD WATER !!!

heat lost by Ni = q = mC∆T = (18.7 g)(C)(98.36 - 23.41)

heat gained by water = q = (81.2 g)(4.184 J/gº)(23.41 - 21.50)

(18.7 g)(C)(98.36 - 23.41) = (81.2 g)(4.184 J/gº)(23.41 - 21.50) this is heat lost must = heat gained

Solve for C:

18.7C(74.95) = 339.7(1.91)

C = 0.463 J/gº