Specific heat capacity & heat capacity

[ellieee]

Homework Statement

what is the numerical value of the ratio ?

Relevant Equations

Q=mcθ
Q=mc

the answer is 1/2 , but when I did the working out, I got 2/1.. so I'm quite confused

 

[Orodruin]

The ratio has physical dimension. You therefore cannot assign a dimensionless numerical value.

 

[ellieee]

The ratio has physical dimension. You therefore cannot assign a dimensionless numerical value.

then are you able to explain the answer key ?

 

[Orodruin]

then are you able to explain the answer key ?

The question is ill posed.

 

[Orodruin]

But with regards to how the question (being ill posed) wants you to do things ...

You have taken heat capacity / specific heat capacity instead of specific heat capacity / heat capacity.

 

[ellieee]

But with regards to how the question (being ill posed) wants you to do things ...

You have taken heat capacity / specific heat capacity instead of specific heat capacity / heat capacity.

how ..? isn't specific heat capacity = mcθ and heat capacity = cθ?

 

[Steve4Physics]

isn't specific heat capacity = mcθ and heat capacity = cθ?

No.

Specific capacity is ‘c’ (lower case ‘c’).
Heat capacity is ‘C’ (upper case ‘C’)
C = mc
Warning: it's easy to mix up 'c' and 'C'!

That means you are simply being asked to find $\frac c {mc}$.

Other notes...

The question contains distractors - unnecessary information to test your ability to identify the relevant information.

Q=mcΔθ gives the heat transferred when an object of mass m and specific heat capacity c changes temperature by Δθ. It is not required in this question.

Q = CΔθ gives the heat transferred when an object of heat capacity C changes temperature by Δθ. It is not required in this question.

The correct answer should have units (as already noted by @Orodruin in Post #2).

Edit - typo' corrected.