Question

A 15.5 g piece of chromium, heated to 100.0 degrees Celsius, is dropped into 55.5 g of water at 16.5 degrees Celsius. The final temperature of the metal and the water is 18.9 degrees Celsius. What is the specific heat capacity of chromium

Answer 1

Answer: The specific heat capacity of chromium is $2010J/g^0C$

Explanation:

$heat_{absorbed}=heat_{released}$

As we know that,  

$Q=m\times c\times \Delta T=m\times c\times (T_{final}-T_{initial})$

$m_1\times c_1\times (T_{final}-T_1)=-[m_2\times c_2\times (T_{final}-T_2)]$         .................(1)

where,

q = heat absorbed or released

$m_1$ = mass of chromium = 15.5 g

$m_2$ = mass of water = 55.5 g

$T_{final}$ = final temperature =$18.9^0C$

$T_1$ = temperature of chromium = $100^oC$

$T_2$ = temperature of water = $16.50^oC$

$c_1$ = specific heat of chromium= ?

$c_2$ = specific heat of water= $4.184J/g^0C$

Now put all the given values in equation (1), we get

$-15.5\times c_1\times (19.5-18.9)=[55.5\times 4.184\times (19.5-100)]$

$c_1=2010J/g^0C$

The specific heat capacity of chromium is $2010J/g^0C$