which of the following must be known precisely for the specific heat to be accurate.
Answer
a. the mass of the water in the calorimeter
b. the temperature of the metal shot before it is immersed in the boiling water
c. the mass of the boiling water
To accurately calculate specific heat, we must have precise knowledge of the following:
a. The mass of the water in the calorimeter: The specific heat of a substance is defined as the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of the substance by one degree Celsius or one Kelvin. Therefore, knowing the mass of the water is crucial to accurately determine the specific heat.
b. The temperature of the metal shot before it is immersed in the boiling water: In order to calculate the heat transfer between the metal and water, we need to know the initial temperature of the metal. This is necessary for a precise determination of specific heat.
c. The mass of the boiling water: To accurately calculate the specific heat, it is important to know the mass of the water being heated. Together with the temperature change, this information allows us to determine the amount of heat gained or lost by the water.
Therefore, in order to obtain an accurate value for specific heat, we must know both the mass of the water in the calorimeter and the mass of the boiling water, as well as the initial temperature of the metal shot before it is immersed in the boiling water.