The Astonishing Heat Capacity of Snow: Explained

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the comparison of heat energy contained in a large mass of snow at 0 degrees Celsius versus a small volume of liquid water at 100 degrees Celsius. Participants are exploring the concepts of thermal energy, heat capacity, and the implications of temperature in relation to energy content.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking, Exploratory

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the relationship between temperature and thermal energy, particularly in comparing different masses and states of water. Some suggest using phase diagrams and heat capacity formulas to analyze the energy content of snow and water.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing conceptual insights and suggesting methods for analysis. There is an exploration of different interpretations regarding thermal energy and the factors influencing it, but no consensus has been reached yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants are operating under the assumption of one atmosphere of pressure and are considering the heat capacity of snow to be similar to that of liquid water. There is a focus on the need for a formula to facilitate calculations, but specific details on the calculations have not been fully developed.

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Explain how it is possible for a 30,000 kg of snow at 0 deg C to contain more heat energy than 1 mL of liquid water at 100 deg C. (Assume a pressure of one atmosphere.) I am unsure of where to start this? Help Is there a formula?
 
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This is more of a conceptual thing: temperature is not thermal energy. Anything that is above absolute zero (zero Kelvins = -273 celsius) has thermal energy. Temperature is a measure of the average thermal energy per molecule in an object.

THink this way: what has more energy, a small cup of water at 100 C or a large barrel of water at 100 C? To put it another way, which one, the cup or barrel, needs more energy to get the water from 50 C to 100 C?
 
Explain how it is possible for a 30,000 kg of snow at 0 deg C to contain more heat energy than 1 mL of liquid water at 100 deg C. (Assume a pressure of one atmosphere.) I am unsure of where to start this? Help Is there a formula?

apply a phase diagram (and assume that heat capacity of the constituents of snow is somewhat identical to that of H20), apply the heat of fusion value to completely "freeze" the snow to find the heat energy of the process...bring the 1mL of water at 100C to the same state; find the corresponding heat energy (100C, apply dq=mcdT, bring it to 0C and apply the heat of fusion value).
 
Thank you for your assistance in this matter
 

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