Question

In a experiment it is observed that 252 J of heat must be absorbed to raise the temperature of 50.0 g of Ni(s) from 20.0 C to 31.4 C. How do you calculate the specific heat of Ni in both J/g °C and cal/g.C?

Answer 1

Using Joules, the specific heat of nickel is `0.442 "J"/("g"^@*"C")`.

Using calories, the specific heat of nickel is `0.106"cal"/("g"^@*"C")`. in calories.

Explanation:

The equation to use is `Q=mcDeltaT`, where `Q` is the energy in Joules, `m` is the mass, `c` is the specific heat, and `DeltaT` is the change in temperature. `DeltaT=T_"final"-T_"initial"`

`Q="252 J"`
`m="50.0 g"`
`DeltaT="31.4"^@"C"-"20.0"^@"C"="11.4"^@"C"`
`c=???`

Rearrange the equation to isolate `c`. Add the given values and solve.

`c=Q/(m*DeltaT)`

`c=(252"J")/((50.0"g")(11.4^@"C")` `=0.442 "J"/("g"^@"C")`

Convert Joules to calories.

`"1 J=0.239"cal"`

`0.442cancel"J"xx(0.239"cal")/(1cancel"J")="0.106 cal"`

Using Joules, the specific heat of nickel is `0.442 "J"/("g"^@*"C")`.

Using calories, the specific heat of nickel is `0.106"cal"/("g"^@*"C")`. in calories.