calorimetry question

Question

A student places a block of hot metal into a coffee cup calorimeter containing 157.3 g of water. The water temperature rises from 23.0 °C to 34.3 °C. How much heat (in calories) did the water absorb?

Answer 1

The water gets warmer when the hot metal is placed in it. This question can be answered by using the equation with specific heat capacity: q = mcΔT. The heat absorbed by the water (q) is determined by the mass of the water (m), the specific heat (c which is 1 cal/g°C for water...this changes depending on the substance), and the change in temperature of the water (ΔT).

q = 157.3 g x 1 cal/g°C x (34.3°C - 23°C) I'll drop the unit for the rest so you can focus on the math.

q = 157.3 x 1 x 11.3

Now all you need to do is multiply everything together. Pay attention to significant figures if you teacher is requiring it. You should also include the correct units in your answer. What is the unit for heat?