Pennies used to be made of copper, but now they are made of copper-coated zinc. If one were to do a precise calorimetry experiment to determine the specific heat of the new pennies, what would be the result to be?
A) It would be that of copper since copper is on the outside.
B) It would be that of zinc since zinc is in the center.
C) It would be the sum of the copper and zinc specific heats.
D) It would be between that of copper and that of zinc, depending on coating thickness.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The specific heat of the new pennies would be a weighted average of the specific heats of copper and zinc, depending on the relative amounts of each metal, which is influenced by the thickness of the copper coating.

Pennies Used to Be Made of Copper, but Now They