Question

Suppose someone pours 0.250 kg of 20.0ºC water (about a cup) into a 0.500-kg aluminum pan with a temperature of 150ºC. Assume that the pan is then placed on an insulated pad and that a negligible amount of water boils off. What is the temperature when the water and pan reach thermal equilibriuma short time later?

Answer 1

Answer : The temperature when the water and pan reach thermal equilibrium short time later is, $59.10^oC$

Explanation :

In this problem we assumed that heat given by the hot body is equal to the heat taken by the cold body.

$q_1=-q_2$

$m_1\times c_1\times (T_f-T_1)=-m_2\times c_2\times (T_f-T_2)$

where,

$c_1$ = specific heat of aluminium = $0.90J/g^oC$

$c_2$ = specific heat of water = $4.184J/g^oC$

$m_1$ = mass of aluminum = 0.500 kg = 500 g

$m_2$ = mass of water = 0.250 kg  = 250 g

$T_f$ = final temperature of mixture = ?

$T_1$ = initial temperature of aluminum = $150^oC$

$T_2$ = initial temperature of water = $20^oC$

Now put all the given values in the above formula, we get:

$500g\times 0.90J/g^oC\times (T_f-150)^oC=-250g\times 4.184J/g^oC\times (T_f-20)^oC$

$T_f=59.10^oC$

Therefore, the temperature when the water and pan reach thermal equilibrium short time later is, $59.10^oC$