Some very hot rocks have a temperature of #555 ^o C# and a specific heat of #270 J/(Kg*K)#. The rocks are bathed in #15 L# of boiling water. If the heat of the rocks completely vaporizes the water, what is the minimum combined mass of the rocks?

1 Answer
May 18, 2018

The mass of the rocks is #=275.6kg#

Explanation:

The heat transferred from the hot rocks to the water, is equal to the heat used to evaporate the water.

For the rocks #DeltaT_o=555-100=455^@#

Heat of vaporisation of water is

#H_w=2257kJkg^-1#

The specific heat of the rocks is

#C_o=0.270kJkg^-1K^-1#

Volume of water is #V=15L#

Density of water is #rho=1kgL^-1#

The mass of water is #m_w=Vrho=15kg#,

# m_o C_o (DeltaT_o) = m_w H_w #

#m_o*0.270*455=15*2257#

The mass of the rocks is

#m_o=(15*2257)/(0.270*455)#

#=275.6kg#