I am trying to calculate heat transfer between two objects. The units are as follows:
mass: grams
specific heat: cal/gm degree celsius
temperature: degree celcius
My numbers aren't working out and I know how to do the problem. So, what's the deal with the gm. Is that gram mass or another abbreviation for gram? Either way, gram mass for a solid or liquid is the same as grams??
The abbreviation "gm" is commonly used to represent grams, which is a unit of mass. Grams is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, and it is the same whether you are referring to gram mass or just grams. So, when you see "gm" in the context of mass, it stands for grams.
In your calculation for heat transfer, it is important to ensure that you are using the correct units throughout the equation. Here's an example to help you understand:
Let's say you want to calculate the heat transfer between two objects with the following values:
- Object A has a mass of 500 grams, a specific heat of 0.5 cal/gm °C, and a starting temperature of 20 °C.
- Object B has a mass of 300 grams, a specific heat of 0.3 cal/gm °C, and a starting temperature of 50 °C.
To calculate the heat transfer (Q), you can use the formula:
Q = mass × specific heat × change in temperature
For Object A:
Q = 500 gm × 0.5 cal/gm °C × (final temperature - 20 °C)
For Object B:
Q = 300 gm × 0.3 cal/gm °C × (final temperature - 50 °C)
By substituting the appropriate values and calculating the difference in temperature, you can find the heat transfer for each object.
Remember to pay attention to the units and ensure they are consistent throughout the calculation.