A coffee-cup calorimeter of the type shown in Figure 5.18 contains 150.0 g of water at 25.1°C A 121.0-g block of copper metal is heated to 100.4°C by putting it in a beaker of boiling water. The specific heat of Cu(s) is 0.385 J/g-K The Cu is added to the calorimeter, and after a time the contents of the cup reach a constant temperature of 30.1°C (d) What would be the final temperature of the system if all the heat lost by the copper block were absorbed by the water in the calorimeter?

Key Concepts

Specific Heat Capacity

Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius (or Kelvin). It is a crucial property that varies between different materials, influencing how they absorb and release heat. In this problem, the specific heat of copper is given, which will be used to calculate the heat lost by the copper block as it cools down.

Heat Transfer

Heat transfer refers to the movement of thermal energy from one object or substance to another due to a temperature difference. In this scenario, heat is transferred from the hot copper block to the cooler water in the calorimeter until thermal equilibrium is reached. Understanding this concept is essential for calculating the final temperature of the system based on the heat lost by the copper and gained by the water.

Thermal Equilibrium

Thermal equilibrium occurs when two objects in contact reach the same temperature, resulting in no net heat flow between them. In the context of this question, the final temperature of the system is the point at which the heat lost by the copper equals the heat gained by the water. This concept is fundamental for solving calorimetry problems, as it allows for the application of the principle of conservation of energy.