Given the following specific heats and that each sample had the same mass, which would require the greatest amount of heat energy to increase its temperature 50°C?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The amount of heat energy required to increase the temperature of a substance can be calculated using the formula, Q=mcΔT, where Q is the heat energy, m is the mass of the substance, c is the specific heat, and ΔT is the change in temperature.

Since all samples have the same mass, the substance with the highest specific heat will require the most amount of heat energy to increase its temperature by the same amount.

From the given specific heats, ammonia has the highest value of 4.70 J/(g°C) compared to water (4.184 J/(g°C)), aluminum (0.90 J/(g°C)), and silver (0.24 J/(g°C)). Thus, ammonia would require the greatest amount of heat energy to increase its temperature 50°C.

Therefore, the best choice is A) ammonia.

Given the Following Specific Heats and That Each Sample Had