A 20.0 g piece of aluminum at 5.00 C is dropped into 20.2 g of water at 90.00 C. The final temperature is 75.00 C. Use the First Law to calculate the specific heat capacity for aluminum.

The specific heat of aluminium is 0.906 J/g°C

Explanation:

Step 1: data given

Mass of aluminium = 20.0 grams

Temperature = 5.00 °C

Mass of water = 20.2 grams

Temperature of water = 90.00 °C

The final temperature = 75.00 °C

Specific heat of water = 4.184 J/g°C

Step 2: calculate the specific heat of aluminium

heat won = heat lost

Qaluminium = -Qwater

Q = m*c* ΔT

m(aluminium * c(aluminium) *ΔT(aluminium = -m(water) * c(water) *ΔT(water)

⇒with m(aluminium) = mass of aluminium = 20.0 grams

⇒with c(aluminium) = the specific heat of aluminium = TO BE DETERMINED

⇒with ΔT(aluminium) = the change of temperature = T2 - T1 = 75.00 °C - 5.00 °C = 70.00 °C

⇒with m(water) = the mass of water = 20.2 grams

⇒with c(water) = the specific heat of water = 4.184 J/g°C

⇒with ΔT(water) = T2 - T1 = 75.00°C - 90.00 °C = -15.00 °C

20.0 * c(aluminium) * 70.00 = -20.2 * 4.184 * -15.00

c(aluminium) = 0.906 J/g°C

The specific heat of aluminium is 0.906 J/g°C