In my tenth-grade-level physical science class, we're studying heat, and I completely don't get it. I'll read the definition for specific heat over and over, and I still don't understand it. "For all substances, specific heat is a characteristic physical property, which is denoted by c. In this book, we will think of specific heat of any substance as the amount of energy required to raise 1 kg of that substance by 1 K." Or: "The quantity of heat required to raise a unit mass of homogenous material 1 K of 1(degree)C in a specified way given constant pressure and volume." Huh?!?

I don't get anything in this chapter.
We were assigned fifteen problems the other night, seven of which I got wrong (a friend helped me on all of them, and though I sort of got it while she was guiding me through it, it's still going over my head). Problem one states:
A 250 g sample of water with an initial temperature of 98.8(degrees)C loses 7500 joules of heat. What is the final temperature of the water? (Remember, final temp = initial temp - change in temp)
It's given in the book that the specific heat of water is 4186 J/g x (degrees) C.
How do I figure that?
Or... this?
2. Coper has a specific heat of 0.38452 J/g x (degrees) C. How much change in temperature would the addition of 35,000 joules of heat have on a 538.0 gram sample of copper?

All the other questions are basically like that, but I just don't get it. This is the equation we've been given:
Energy (Q) = specific heat (c) x mass (m) x temperature change ((delta) T)
Q = cm(delta)T.
Again, I totally don't understand it.

I understand that you are having difficulty understanding specific heat and the related equations. Let me break it down for you step by step.

First, let's understand what specific heat is. Specific heat is a property that characterizes how much heat energy is required to raise the temperature of a given substance. It is denoted by the symbol "c." The specific heat of a substance tells us how much heat is needed to raise the temperature of a given amount of that substance by a certain amount.

In the first problem, you are given a sample of water weighing 250 grams with an initial temperature of 98.8 degrees Celsius. The question asks for the final temperature of the water after it loses 7500 joules of heat.

To solve this problem, you need to use the formula Q = cm(delta)T, where Q is the amount of heat energy, c is the specific heat, m is the mass of the substance, and (delta)T is the change in temperature.

In this case, you are given the values for mass (m = 250 g) and the specific heat of water (c = 4186 J/g x degrees C). You need to find the change in temperature ((delta)T) in order to calculate the final temperature.

Rearranging the formula, (delta)T = Q / (cm), you can substitute the given values to find the change in temperature:

(delta)T = 7500 J / (250 g x 4186 J/g x degrees C)

Now, you can calculate the change in temperature.

For the second problem, you are given a sample of copper weighing 538.0 grams and the amount of heat energy added (Q = 35,000 joules). The question asks for the change in temperature.

Using the same formula Q = cm(delta)T, you can rearrange it to find (delta)T = Q / (cm). Substitute the given values:

(delta)T = 35,000 J / (538.0 g x 0.38452 J/g x degrees C)

Now, you can calculate the change in temperature.

By using these formulas and solving the problems step by step, you will be able to find the answers. It's important to remember to pay attention to units and ensure they are consistent throughout your calculations. Keep practicing and don't hesitate to ask for further clarification if needed.