Question

The specific heats of two natural substances are shown in the table. Specific Heat Natural Substance Specific Heat Granite 0.79 J/g °C Nickel 0.44 J/g °C A slab of granite and a slab of nickel are placed next to each other on a sunny day. If the temperature of each slab is initially equal, which substance is likely to show a lower temperature after a few minutes and why? Granite, because it needs to absorb more energy to increase its temperature. Nickel, because it requires more energy to increase its temperature. Granite, because it absorbed more heat while placed in the sun. Nickel, because it absorbed more heat while placed in the sun.

Answer 1

The data provided is of specific heat

The relation between specific heat, heat absrobed and temperature change is

Q = mass of substance X change in temperature X specific heat

Now if we have provided same amount of heat to two substances of different specific heat, the substance with lower specific heat will heat up more as compared to the substance with higher specific heat.

[Specific heat is the amount of heat absorbed by a substance (say nickel) to raise it temperature by one degree if we have taken one gram of substance]

Higher the specific heat higher the heat required to raise the temperature upto same extent.

Thus as the specific heat of Nickel is less, it will heat up easily

Answer: Granite, because it needs to absorb more energy to increase its temperature