How to figure out the amount of heat (joules) needed to melt 1g of ice?

In summary, the conversation is about a student's first day of school in honors chemistry. They received a packet with reference tables and a homework assignment to practice using the tables. One question asks about the heat required to melt 1g of ice, which can be found using the specific heat capacity of water and the latent heat of fusion. The student is unsure of how to approach the problem and asks for help. Eventually, they figure out that the answer is 334 Joules.
  • #1
wasteofo2
478
2
So, first day of school today, and I'm in honors chemistry. I got a packet with refernce tables etc. and a homework assignment designed just to get you to use the tables and be able to connect one thing they say with another. Anyway, one question is "How much heat is required to melt 1g of ice?" I'm guessing by "how much", it's indicating that joules would be the proper unit to answer in, and the tables say that water has a specific heat capacity of 4.18 J/g times degrees celcius. My initial guess would just be 4.18 joules, but I've no real idea, can anyone explain how I'd go about figuring this out?
 
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  • #2
Don't forget the latent heat of fusion.
 
  • #3
Uhh...
Dude, I'm a junior in high school, besides learning the formulas for respiration and photosynthesis last year in bio, I have no real experience in chemistry at all, you completely lost me...
 
  • #4
You said you got a packet with reference tables. Take a look and see if it has something called "latent heat of fusion."

Basically, it takes energy to melt ice and while the transition between solid and liquid is taking place the temperature remains constant. That energy is called the heat of fusion.

If that still doesn't help then maybe your teacher is only trying to see how much you know about chemistry by giving problems ranging from simple to advanced.
 
  • #5
Tide said:
You said you got a packet with reference tables. Take a look and see if it has something called "latent heat of fusion."

Basically, it takes energy to melt ice and while the transition between solid and liquid is taking place the temperature remains constant. That energy is called the heat of fusion.

If that still doesn't help then maybe your teacher is only trying to see how much you know about chemistry by giving problems ranging from simple to advanced.
Alright...

It shows that with water, the heat of fusion is 334J/g, so that's the answer?
 
  • #6
Multiply that number by 1 g and you get 334 Joules. :-)
 

1. How do you calculate the amount of heat (joules) needed to melt 1g of ice?

To calculate the amount of heat (joules) needed to melt 1g of ice, you will need to use the specific heat capacity and latent heat of fusion of ice. The formula is: Q=mCΔT + mL, where Q is the amount of heat (joules), m is the mass of ice (1g), C is the specific heat capacity of ice, ΔT is the change in temperature (0°C to 0°C), and L is the latent heat of fusion of ice.

2. What is the specific heat capacity of ice?

The specific heat capacity of ice is 2.09 J/g·°C. This means that it takes 2.09 joules of heat to raise the temperature of 1 gram of ice by 1 degree Celsius.

3. What is the latent heat of fusion of ice?

The latent heat of fusion of ice is 334 J/g. This means that 334 joules of heat are needed to melt 1 gram of ice at 0°C without changing its temperature.

4. Can you provide a real-life application of calculating the heat needed to melt 1g of ice?

One real-life application of calculating the heat needed to melt 1g of ice is in the production of ice cream. In order to turn liquid cream into solid ice cream, the cream must be frozen and then melted again. By calculating the amount of heat needed to melt the ice, ice cream manufacturers can ensure that the right amount of heat is applied to create the desired consistency and texture of the ice cream.

5. How does pressure affect the amount of heat needed to melt 1g of ice?

Pressure does not have a significant effect on the amount of heat needed to melt 1g of ice. The specific heat capacity and latent heat of fusion of ice are constant and do not change with pressure. However, pressure can affect the melting point of ice. At higher pressures, ice will melt at a lower temperature and therefore require less heat to melt.

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