Calorimetry Lab: Calculating Specific Heat Capacity

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a calorimetry problem involving the calculation of specific heat capacity. The scenario includes a calorimeter can containing water and an unknown material, with various masses and temperatures provided.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to determine how to account for the masses of the calorimeter can and water in their calculations. They question whether to combine the masses or treat them separately in the heat transfer equations.

Discussion Status

Participants have engaged in clarifying the approach to the problem, with some confirming that the different materials should be treated separately due to their differing specific heats. There is an indication that the original poster is beginning to understand the need for multiple heat calculations.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes considerations of specific heats and the necessity of accounting for multiple components in the calorimetry setup. The original poster expresses uncertainty about how to incorporate the masses of the calorimeter and water into their calculations.

cukitas2001
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Hey I am stuck on yet another one. This one has me stumpted becasue it has to do with a caliometry can and I am given mass of the can and water in it but i don't know if i should add them or have them in separate m*c*T expressions. Anywho here's the problemo:

A laboratory technician drops a 0.0850-kg sample of unknown material, at a temperature of 100 degrees C, into a calorimeter. The calorimeter can, initially at 19.0 degrees C, is made of 0.150 kg of copper and contains 0.200 kg of water. The final temperature of the calorimeter can is 26.1 degrees C. Compute the specific heat capacity of the sample.

What i was thinking was along the lines of Qsample+Qcaliometer but I am not taking into account the copper mass or the water mass...how can i?
 
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They are separate because they have differing specific heats.
 
So then i should have three Q's?
 
Yes, that's right.
 
Ok got it...thank u tons
 

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