Heat of aluminum is 0.897 J/(g.degrees C)
Iron is 0.449 J/(g.degrees C)
Which chunk of metal is hotter on a sunny day. (Both painted the same color.)
assuming the same heat content stored, and the same mass,
Q=mc deltaT
deltaT is larger if c is smaller. Which has the lower specific heat?
To determine which chunk of metal is hotter on a sunny day, we need more information. The heat capacity of a substance, represented by the specific heat capacity, tells us how much heat energy is required to raise the temperature of a given mass of that substance by 1 degree Celsius.
Given the specific heat capacities of aluminum and iron:
- Aluminum: 0.897 J/(g.degrees C)
- Iron: 0.449 J/(g.degrees C)
We can calculate the amount of heat energy transferred to each metal and compare them.
However, the specific heat capacity alone is not enough to determine which metal will be hotter on a sunny day, as it depends on other factors as well. These factors include the absorption and reflection of solar radiation, thermal conductivity, and the mass of the metal.
To determine which chunk of metal is hotter on a sunny day, we need to consider the following steps:
1. Measure the masses of the aluminum and iron chunks.
2. Expose both chunks of metal to the same amount of sunlight for the same period of time.
3. Observe and record the temperature increase of each metal after the exposure.
4. Calculate the heat energy transferred to each metal using the formula: Q = m * c * ΔT, where Q is the heat energy, m is the mass of the metal, c is the specific heat capacity, and ΔT is the change in temperature.
5. Compare the calculated heat energies for aluminum and iron. The chunk of metal with the higher heat energy will generally be hotter.
Note that other factors may affect the temperature of the metal, such as the composition of the metal and its shape, which can influence the absorption and dissipation of heat.