Chapter 15: Problem 12
A 90.0 -g sample of an unknown metal absorbed 25.6 \(\mathrm{J}\) of heat as its temperature increased \(1.18^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) . What is the specific heat of the metal?
Short Answer
Expert verified
The specific heat of the metal is approximately 0.241 J/g°C.
Step by step solution
01
Understand the problem
We are given a sample of metal with a mass of 90.0 g that absorbs heat, causing its temperature to rise by 1.18 °C. We need to find the specific heat capacity of the metal, which is a measure of how much heat energy is needed to change the temperature of 1 gram of that substance by 1 °C.
02
Write the formula for specific heat
The formula to calculate specific heat capacity \(c\) is:\[ c = \frac{q}{m \cdot \Delta T} \]where \(q\) is the heat absorbed (in Joules), \(m\) is the mass of the substance (in grams), and \(\Delta T\) is the change in temperature (in °C).
03
Plug in known values
Substitute the given values into the formula:- Heat absorbed, \(q = 25.6 \text{ J}\)- Mass, \(m = 90.0 \text{ g}\)- Temperature change, \(\Delta T = 1.18 \text{ °C}\)\[ c = \frac{25.6}{90.0 \times 1.18} \]
04
Perform the calculation
Calculate the denominator first:\(90.0 \times 1.18 = 106.2\)Then, divide the heat energy by the result from the previous step:\[ c = \frac{25.6}{106.2} \approx 0.241 \text{ J/g°C} \]
05
Conclude with final answer
The specific heat of the unknown metal is approximately 0.241 J/g°C. This means that 0.241 Joules of energy are needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of the metal by 1 °C.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Heat Absorption
Whenever a substance absorbs heat, its molecules become more energetic, moving faster and often leading to a temperature increase. In this exercise, a metal sample absorbs heat, which is measured in Joules (J). The metal takes in 25.6 J of heat, causing its temperature to rise.
- Heat absorption involves transferring energy into a substance, akin to charging a battery.
- This energy increase often results in a rise in temperature, but exactly how much depends on the material's properties, such as specific heat capacity.
Temperature Change
The change in temperature ( fT) of a sample is an important factor in calculating specific heat. In this problem, the metal's temperature rises by \(1.18^{\circ}\mathrm{C}\) due to heat absorption.
- Temperature change helps determine the relationship between absorbed heat and the material's thermal properties.
- A small temperature change relative to absorbed heat might indicate a high specific heat capacity, meaning the material resists temperature changes.
Metal Sample
A metal sample serves as a model to study heat absorption and specific heat capacity. In this exercise, the metal sample is unknown, weighing 90.0 grams.
- Metals generally have varying specific heat capacities, which affect how quickly they warm up.
- Mass plays a role in such calculations, with larger masses needing proportionately more energy for the same temperature increase.
Energy Calculation
Calculating the energy needed to raise the temperature of a substance involves using the formula for specific heat. In this scenario, the calculation reveals how responsive the metal is to temperature changes.
- The specific heat capacity formula \(c = \frac{q}{m \cdot \Delta T}\) helps determine how much heat energy per gram per degree Celsius a substance can absorb.
- The result aids in identifying unknown materials by comparing calculated specific heat with known values.