Benzene is a starting material in the synthesis of nylon fibers and polystyrene (styrofoam). Its specific heat capacity is 1.74 J/(g·K). If 16.7 kJ of energy is absorbed by a 225-g sample of benzene at 20.0°C, what is its final temperature?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We can use the equation q = m*c*ΔT to solve for the final temperature (ΔT) of the benzene. Rearranging the equation, we get:
ΔT = q/(m*c)
First, we need to convert the energy absorbed from kJ to J:
16.7 kJ * 1000 J/kJ = 16,700 J
Now we can plug in the values and solve for ΔT:
ΔT = 16,700 J/(225 g * 1.74 J/(g·K))
ΔT = 42.7 K
Finally, we add ΔT to the initial temperature of 20.0°C (which we convert to Kelvin by adding 273.15) to get the final temperature:
Final temperature = 42.7 K + 293.15 K = 335.25 K
Converting back to Celsius, we get:
Final temperature = 62.7°C

Benzene Is a Starting Material in the Synthesis of Nylon