How much energy is released when 48.5 g of water freezes?

To calculate the amount of energy released when water freezes, we need to determine the heat of fusion of water. The heat of fusion is the amount of heat energy required to change a substance from a solid to a liquid or vice versa, without changing its temperature.

The heat of fusion of water is 334 Joules per gram (J/g). So, to find the energy released when 48.5 g of water freezes, we can use the formula:

Energy released = mass * heat of fusion

Plugging in the values, we have:

Energy released = 48.5 g * 334 J/g

Let's calculate the answer:

Energy released = 16,189 J

Therefore, approximately 16,189 Joules of energy are released when 48.5 g of water freezes.

48.5 g x 79.8 calories/g = 3870 calories = 16,190 Joules

Students are often quoted a number of 80 calories per gram for the heat of fustion and 540 cal/g for the heat of vaporization of water. Those numbers are not exact.