Heat and Internal Energy and Heat and Temperature Change: Specific Heat Capacity

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem involving the mixing of hot and cold water to achieve a desired temperature in a bath. The specific heat capacity and energy balance concepts are central to the problem, which involves calculating the mass of hot water needed given the total mass and temperatures of the water involved.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the energy balance equation and the implications of the calculated mass of hot water exceeding the total mass. There is a suggestion to reconsider the setup of the energy equations.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided insights into the energy balance approach, while others express confusion about the results. There is an acknowledgment of a mistake in the initial setup, prompting further exploration of the problem.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of a total mass of water and specific temperatures, while also addressing the assumption that no heat is lost to the surroundings.

Axoren
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Homework Statement


When you take a bath, how many kilograms of hot water (49°C) must you mix with cold water (12°C) so that the temperature of the bath is 36°C? The total mass of water (hot plus cold) is 191 kg. Ignore any heat flow between the water and its external surroundings.

Temperature of the Cold Water: 12 C
Temperature of the Hot Water: 49 C
Temperature of the Total Water: 36 C
Mass of the Cold Water: y, 191-x
Mass of the Hotwater: x, 191-y
Mass of the Total Water: 191 kg

Homework Equations


Q =mcΔT
Where Q is Joules of Energy, m is Mass of the substance (kg), c is the specific heat coefficient, ΔT is change in Temperature (in Celsius)

The Attempt at a Solution


Total Q = 191 kg * 4186 J/kgC * 36 C
Total Q = 28782936 J
Hot Q = X kg * 4186 J/kgC * 13 C
Cold Q = (191 - X) kg * 4186 J/kgC * 24 C
28782936 J = Hot Q + Cold Q
28782936 J = (X kg * 4186 J/kgC * 13 C) + ((191 - X) kg * 4186 J/kgC * 24 C)
28782936 J = (X kg * 54418 J/kg) + ((191 - X) kg * 100464 J/kg)
28782936 J = 54418X J + 19188624 J - 100464X J
28782936 J = 19188624 J - 46046X J
9594312 J = 46046X J
208.36 kg = X (Answer only needs to be to 2 decimal places)

^This does not make sense, because the mass of the hot water is larger than the mass of the total water. Assistance?
 
Last edited:
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Axoren said:

The Attempt at a Solution


Total Q = 191 kg * 4186 J/kgC * 36 C
Total Q = 28782936 J
Hot Q = X kg * 4186 J/kgC * 13 C
Cold Q = (191 - X) kg * 4186 J/kgC * 24 C
28782936 J = Hot Q + Cold Q
28782936 J = (X kg * 4186 J/kgC * 13 C) + ((191 - X) kg * 4186 J/kgC * 24 C)
28782936 J = (X kg * 54418 J/kg) + ((191 - X) kg * 100464 J/kg)
28782936 J = 54418X J + 19188624 J - 100464X J
28782936 J = 19188624 J - 46046X J
9594312 J = 46046X J
208.36 kg = X (Answer only needs to be to 2 decimal places)

^This does not make sense, because the mass of the hot water is larger than the mass of the total water. Assistance?
Total Q = 0 .

So the equation should be Q_h + Q_c=0

AM
 
Thank you very much! I don't know how I missed that.
 
Hey I really need this answered I've been working on it for 3 hours help.
Question: You want to take a bath with the water temperature at 35.0 degrees C. The water temperature is 38 degrees C from the hot water tap and 11 degrees C from the cold water tap. You fill the tub with a total of 187 kg of water. How many kilograms of water from the hot water tap do you use?
Please help.
 
Just kidding I'm stupid. i figured it out... sorry for wasting your time.
 

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