Question

A calorimeter is used to determine the specific heat capacity of a test metal. If the specific heat capacity of water is known, what quantities must be measured?

Answer 1

Answer:

initial and final temperatures of both the water and metal, mass of the metal, and mass of the water

Explanation:

Heat lost by the metal, $Q = mc(t_{2} - t_{1})$

Heat gained by the water in the calorimeter, $Q_{w} = m_{w}c_{w}(t_{2w} - t_{1w})$

For energy to be conserved in the system, the heat lost by the metal will equal the heat gain by the water in the calorimeter.

        $mc(t_{2} - t_{1}) = m_{w}c_{w}(t_{2w} - t_{1w})$

Where,

m is the mass of the metal

c is specific heat capacity of the metal

t₂ is the final temperature of the metal

t₁ is the initial temperature of the metal

$m_{w}$ is the mass of the water

$c_{w}$ is specific heat capacity of water

$t_{2w}$ is the final temperature of water

$t_{1w}$ is the initial temperature of water

From the question given, specific heat capacity of the water is known, the quantities to be measured are;

Initial and final temperatures of both the water and metal,

Mass of the metal, and mass of the water