A 110g piece of copper is heated and the temperature changes from 38C to 172C. The heat absorbed is 686 cal. What is the specific heat of copper.

I think the answer is .385, but I have tried 100 different ways to get this answer or anything close, and I am lost..it is just a study review, but I want to know this for the test.Thank you.

Why didn't you show what you had tried? Then we could find the error in your work/thinking.

a = mass x specific heat x delta T.
686 = 110 x sp.h. x (172-38)
Solve for sp.h. = ?
The answer is not 0.385

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

Q = mcΔT

Where:
Q = heat absorbed or released by the substance (in calories)
m = mass of the substance (in grams)
c = specific heat of the substance (in cal/g°C)
ΔT = change in temperature (in °C)

In this case, we are given:
Q = 686 cal
m = 110 g
ΔT = 172°C - 38°C = 134°C

Now, we can rearrange the formula to solve for c:

c = Q / (m * ΔT)

Plugging in the values:

c = 686 cal / (110 g * 134°C) ≈ 0.3848 cal/g°C

So, the specific heat of copper is approximately 0.385 cal/g°C.

It seems you arrived at the correct answer but rounded it to three decimal places (0.385) instead of four decimal places (0.3848).