Two identical objects of the same mass and at the same initial temperature cool off. If object A cools off faster than object B, what can you say about the specific heats of the two objects?

A has a lower specific heat (heat capacity)

Q = m C (T2-T1)
for the same Q, lower C means bigger temp change

To understand why one object cools off faster than the other, we need to consider the concept of specific heat.

Specific heat is a property of a substance that measures how much heat energy it can absorb or release per unit mass per degree change in temperature. It is denoted by the symbol "c."

Now, let's analyze the situation. We have two identical objects with the same mass and initial temperature, but Object A cools off faster than Object B.

When objects cool down, they lose heat energy to their surroundings. The rate at which an object cools off depends on its thermal conductivity, surface area, temperature difference, and specific heat.

If Object A cools off faster, it means it is losing heat energy more quickly than Object B. This could happen for two reasons:

1. Object A has a lower specific heat: If Object A has a lower specific heat (cA) compared to Object B's specific heat (cB), it means that Object A can release a larger amount of heat energy per unit mass per degree change in temperature. Hence, it cools off faster.

2. Object A has a higher thermal conductivity or surface area: The cooling rate could also be influenced by factors other than specific heat. If Object A has a higher thermal conductivity or a larger surface area exposed to the surroundings, it can dissipate heat energy more quickly, resulting in faster cooling.

In summary, based solely on the information that Object A cools off faster than Object B, we can conclude that Object A either has a lower specific heat or possesses better heat dissipating properties such as higher thermal conductivity or a larger surface area.