what is the specific heat of a substance that required 800 joules of heat to raise the temperature of 50 grams of it from 20 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius?
To find the specific heat of a substance, we can use the formula:
q = mcΔT
Where:
- q is the amount of heat transferred
- m is the mass of the substance
- c is the specific heat capacity
- ΔT is the change in temperature
In this case, we know:
- q = 800 joules
- m = 50 grams
- ΔT = (30 degrees Celsius) - (20 degrees Celsius) = 10 degrees Celsius
Now we can rearrange the formula to solve for c:
c = q / (m * ΔT)
Substituting the given values:
c = 800 joules / (50 grams * 10 degrees Celsius)
Before calculating, note that the specific heat capacity is typically expressed in units of joules per gram per degree Celsius (J/g°C). Therefore, we need to convert the mass from grams to kilograms:
c = 800 joules / (0.05 kilograms * 10 degrees Celsius)
Now we can calculate:
c = 800 joules / (0.5 kilojoules)
c ≈ 1600 J/g°C
So, the specific heat of the substance is approximately 1600 joules per gram per degree Celsius.