In the laboratory a student finds that it takes 20.7 Joules to increase the temperature of 11.0 grams of solid platinum from 20.5 to 35.8 degrees Celsius. What is the specific heat of platinum she has measured.

q = mass Pt x specific heat Pt x (Tfinal-Tinitial)

20.7 = 11.0 x sp.h. x (35.8 - 20.5)
sp.h. = ?

To find the specific heat of platinum, we can use the formula:

Q = m * c * ΔT

where:
Q = heat energy transferred (in joules)
m = mass of the substance (in grams)
c = specific heat capacity (in joules/gram°C)
ΔT = change in temperature (in °C)

In this case, we have:

Q = 20.7 J
m = 11.0 g
ΔT = 35.8°C - 20.5°C = 15.3°C

Now, let's rearrange the formula to solve for c:

c = Q / (m * ΔT)

Substituting the given values:

c = 20.7 J / (11.0 g * 15.3°C)

Using a calculator, we can calculate c:

c ≈ 0.12 J/(g°C)

Therefore, the specific heat of platinum as measured by the student is approximately 0.12 J/(g°C).