What is the specific heat of a substance if 2100 J is required to raise a 312 g sample by 15 degrees Celsius?

So I use the q = mcΔT formula
2100J = (312 g)c(85 °C - 15 °C)
I'm not sure if I did it right.

I don't know where you obtained the 85 C?

m = 312, right
c = unknown, right
The problem tells you delta T is 15, where did the 85 come from?

To be honest, I thought you suppose to subtract everything from 100. I'm being dumb. I don't know where I get 85 from. Forget that. So, how do I solve this problem?

To find the specific heat of a substance in this scenario, you correctly use the formula q = mcΔT, where q is the heat energy transferred, m is the mass of the substance, c is the specific heat of the substance, and ΔT is the change in temperature.

Let's solve the equation step by step:

1. Start with the given information:
q = 2100 J (the heat energy transferred)
m = 312 g (the mass of the sample)
ΔT = 85 °C - 15 °C = 70 °C (the change in temperature)

2. Substitute the values into the equation:
2100 J = (312 g) * c * 70 °C

3. Simplify the equation:
2100 J = 21840 g°C * c

4. Divide both sides of the equation by 21840 g°C to isolate c:
c = 2100 J / 21840 g°C ≈ 0.096 J/g°C

Therefore, the specific heat of the substance is approximately 0.096 J/g°C.