A 400-g piece of metal at 120.0°C is dropped into a cup containing 450 g of water at 15.0°C.The final temperature of the system is measured to be 40.0°C.What is the specific heat of the metal,assuming no heat is exchanged with the surroundings or the cup? The specific heat of water is 4190 J/(kg • K).

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The heat lost by the metal equals the heat gained by the water. Using the formula $ m \cdot c \cdot \Delta T $, we set up the equation: $ 0.4 \cdot c \cdot (40 - 120) = 0.45 \cdot 4190 \cdot (40 - 15) $. Solving for $ c $ gives approximately 1470 J/(kg • K).

A 400-G Piece of Metal at 120