Help finding specific heat of metal in calorimeter

In summary, to find the specific heat of the given metal, we must use the mass of the water and calorimeter in the first equation and the change in temperature of the metal is 100-20°C. The specific heat of the given metal is calculated to be 0.46 J/g.K.
  • #1
kriegera
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Homework Statement


A piece of metal of weight 50 grams is heated to a temperature of 100°C and then introduced into a calorimeter containing water at 14°C, the maximum temperature reached being 20°C. If the weight of the calorimeter is 5 grams, the specific heat of the metal of which it is made is 0.095 and the weight of the water it contains is 92 grams, calculate the specific heat of the given metal.


Homework Equations


ΔH=cmΔT
C=H/mΔT


The Attempt at a Solution



I thought I had this figured out but I'm stuck on two points: This is what I have:
Because the heat of the reaction is absorbed by the water, causing it to warm up, we will use the mass of the water vs. the mass of calorimeter. This is the substance where the reaction/energy/H is taking place.
ΔH=(4.189)(92)(20-14) = 2,312.328 J

Now we use this information to find the specific heat of the given metal:
C=H/mΔT = 2,312/(50)(100) = .46 J/g.K

But I'm confused on whether
A) Do I use the mass of the calorimeter mass or the mass of water for the first equation
B) What is the change in the temperature of the given metal? Do I stick with 100 b/c it doesn’t say or do I use 100-20C?
 
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  • #2
A) The first equation should be
(Mc*cc + Mw*cw)(T1-T2)
B) You are right.
 
  • #3
can you label equation A? i can't figure out the components.
 
  • #4
(mass of the calorimeter* specific heat of the calorimeter + mass of the water*specific heat of the water)*Fall in the temperature.
 

1. What is specific heat and why is it important in determining the metal's properties?

Specific heat is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree. It is an important property to determine because it helps identify the type of metal and its ability to store or release heat.

2. How is the specific heat of a metal measured in a calorimeter?

The specific heat of a metal can be measured in a calorimeter by first heating the metal to a known temperature and then placing it in a container of water at a known temperature. The change in temperature of the water is measured, and the specific heat is calculated using the formula Q = m*c*ΔT, where Q is the heat energy, m is the mass of the metal, c is the specific heat, and ΔT is the change in temperature.

3. What are the factors that can affect the accuracy of the specific heat measurement?

The accuracy of the specific heat measurement can be affected by the type and condition of the calorimeter, the accuracy of the temperature measurements, and the heat loss to the surroundings during the experiment.

4. How does the specific heat of a metal compare to other materials?

The specific heat of a metal is typically lower than that of other materials, such as water or wood. This means that metals require less heat energy to change their temperature compared to other substances.

5. How can the specific heat be used to identify the type of metal present in a sample?

Each metal has a unique specific heat value, so by measuring the specific heat of a sample and comparing it to known values, the type of metal can be identified. This can be helpful in forensic analysis or in determining the purity of a metal sample.

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