Someone me specific heat capacity?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the specific heat capacity of a metal based on its interaction with water, specifically a 50-gram piece of metal at 100 degrees Celsius affecting 400 grams of water initially at 20 degrees Celsius, raising its temperature to 22 degrees Celsius.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relationship between heat lost by the metal and heat gained by the water. Questions arise regarding the appropriate specific heat capacity values to use for water and the implications of temperature changes for both the metal and the water.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, raising questions about the specific heat capacity values and the temperature changes involved. Some guidance has been offered regarding unit consistency, but no consensus has been reached on the specific calculations or assumptions.

Contextual Notes

There is a mention of needing to figure out the problem independently due to perceived lack of support from the teacher. Participants are also exploring the implications of temperature changes for both substances involved.

Dmitri10
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"What is the specific heat capacity of a 50-gram piece of 100 degree C metal that will change 400 grams of 20 degrees C water to 22 degrees C?

Could someone please explain to me how to do this problem? I have to figure it out on my own because my teacher is no help at all.

Thanks in advance.
 
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Dmitri10 said:
"What is the specific heat capacity of a 50-gram piece of 100 degree C metal that will change 400 grams of 20 degrees C water to 22 degrees C?

Could someone please explain to me how to do this problem? I have to figure it out on my own because my teacher is no help at all.

Thanks in advance.

The heat lost by the metal is equal to the heat gained by the water.

cwater=4.18 kJ/kgK
 
Okay, thank you. That leads me to another question, perhaps a silly one. How do I know when to use the 4.18 value instead of 1 cal/gC for water's specific heat capacity?
 
And... since the metal caused the water's temperature to increase by 2 degrees, does the metal's temperature decrease by 2 degrees?
 
Dmitri10 said:
Okay, thank you. That leads me to another question, perhaps a silly one. How do I know when to use the 4.18 value instead of 1 cal/gC for water's specific heat capacity?

it does not matter which one you use, you just need to be consistent with the units.

For example, if you just 4.18 kJ/kgK, you need mass to be in kg and temperature to be in K.

similarly for 1cal/gC, you need mass to be in grams (g) and temperature in C
 
Okay. That's what I presumed; that it didn't matter as long as units were consistent. Thank you for your help, though.

Hopefully my last question: is the change in temperature for the metal 2 degrees?
 
Dmitri10 said:
Okay. That's what I presumed; that it didn't matter as long as units were consistent. Thank you for your help, though.

Hopefully my last question: is the change in temperature for the metal 2 degrees?

I think it should be that the metal and water would have the same final temperature.
 
Okay. I cannot believe I didn't realize that before I asked. Haha how embarrassing... anyway, thank you very much for your help.
 

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