Heat contained in the Great Lakes

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the energy required to freeze Lake Superior, which contains 1.2 x 1016 kg of water. To achieve complete freezing, one must consider the latent heat of fusion, quantified as 3.33 x 105 J/kg. The essential equation involves multiplying the mass of the lake by the latent heat of fusion to determine the total energy removal needed for freezing.

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  • Understanding of latent heat of fusion
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  • Calculate the total energy required to freeze Lake Superior using the formula: Energy = mass x latent heat of fusion
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Homework Statement


the largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior contains 1.2*10^16kg of fresh water, which has a specific capacity of 4186J/kg*C and a latent heat of fusion of 3.33*10^5J/kg.
a.) If Lake Superior were still liquid at 0C, how much energy would need to be removed from the lake for it to become completely frozen?


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



Can someone just give me a hint or give me the equation to use because i have no clue what to do?
 
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Hi princesspriya,

The latent heat of fusion shows that it would require 3.33*10^5 J of heat to melt one kg of ice that is at 0 degrees celsius, or you would need to remove that much heat to freeze one kg of water at that same temperature.

What equation does the latent heat appear in?
 

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