One last question....

Which of these two metals (Aluminum or Copper) would be a better choice to make silverware out of?

Specific heat of:
Al = .901
Cu = .39

my guess was the aluminum, because it would take longer for it to get hot, since it requires more heat. This would benefit if there was a hot dish.

... But i'm not sure. What are your thoughts?

Thanks :]

I'm not of the opinion that this is a very good question for a number of reasons. However, if you are basing the decision on specific heat, I would go with Al because of the reason you cite. But, I wonder about the following:

a. if I'm to make silverware, I would think I would make utensils of silver. Better to call them utensils I think.
b. aluminum is such a soft metal and copper is much more sturdy.
c. aluminum is so much more reactive than copper.
I suppose none of that matters. This is just a problem. :-)

thanks :] its a weird question, I must add :-/

To determine which metal would be a better choice for making silverware, we need to consider their specific heat capacities. The specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a given mass of a substance by one degree Celsius.

In this case, you are comparing aluminum (Al) with a specific heat capacity of 0.901 J/g°C and copper (Cu) with a specific heat capacity of 0.39 J/g°C.

Your reasoning is correct that aluminum requires more heat (has a higher specific heat capacity) compared to copper. This means that aluminum will absorb and retain more heat energy than copper for the same mass and temperature change.

In terms of silverware, if you want utensils that do not get too hot when handling hot dishes, aluminum would be a better choice. Due to its higher specific heat capacity, aluminum will take longer to reach the same temperature as copper, making it less likely to conduct heat quickly and burn your hands.

So, your initial guess that aluminum would be a better choice for making silverware based on its higher specific heat capacity is indeed correct.