Specific Heat Q=mcΔT Student Activity Sheet
HS PS 3-1
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Essential Question: How can we predict temperature changes of different substances?
Use the following data tables to answer the questions below.
Substance
Specific Heat Capacity
(J/g℃)
Useful Equations:
q = mcΔT
(q = heat, m = mass, c = specific
heat, ΔT = change in temp)
water
4.184 J/g℃
silicon
0.703 J/g℃
ΔT = Tfinal - Tinitial
copper
0.387 J/g℃
TC = 5/9 * (Tf - 32)
gold
0.129 J/g℃
TK = TC + 273
aluminum
0.89 J/g℃
1 kg = 1000 g
iron
0.45 J/g℃
silver
0.24 J/g℃
lead
0.128 J/g℃
1 cal = 4.184 J
1 kcal = 1000 cal
For each question, underline what is given and circle what you are trying to solve for.
Example: How much heat would 200 grams of water have to absorb to raise the temperature by 10℃?
-write what is given:
m = 200 g
ΔT = 10℃
c = 4.184 J/g℃ (find in the data table)
-write the equation:
q = mcΔT
-input given units:
q = (200 g)*(4.184 J/g℃)*(10℃)
-solve for the unknown:
q = 8368 J
***remember to always include correct units! q = joules, m = grams, ΔT = ℃, c = J/g℃)
1. A 150 g sample of iron is heated from 15℃ to 100℃. How much heat did the sample gain?
Answer:
2. How much will the temperature change if a 126.3 gram sample of silver loses 1000 J of heat?
Answer:
Specific Heat Q=mcΔT Student Activity Sheet
HS PS 3-1
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3. Calculate how much energy would be needed to heat a beaker of water at 18℃ to boiling. The mass of the water is
15 grams.
Answer:
4. An unknown amount of gold was heated with 40 J and the temperature increased from 25.8℃ to 42.3℃. What is
the mass of the gold?
Answer:
5. How much energy is lost when a 524 gram copper statue is cooled from 40℃ to 16.7℃?
Answer:
6. An 18.2 gram sample of silicone is exposed to 100 joules of energy. What is the final temperature if the sample was
initially at 25℃?
Answer:
7. A sample of iron was heated from 37.2℃ to 91.2℃, which required 40 calories. What was the mass of the sample?
Answer:
8. A 39 gram unknown sample was exposed to 100 J of heat, causing it to raise in temperature from 23℃ to 43℃.
What is the specific heat of the metal and determine the identity.
Answer:
Specific Heat Q=mcΔT Student Activity Sheet
HS PS 3-1
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Answer Key:
1. 5,737.5 J
2. 33.0℃
3. 5,146.3 J
4. 18.8 g
5. 4725 J
6. 32.8℃
7. 1.64 g
8. 0.128 J/g℃, lead