You want to determine the heat of reaction when a sodium chloride solution is formed using a 10.0 g sample of NaCl(s) and 50.0 mL of water in a coffee cup calorimeter. Which of the following equations would you use? Assume the specific heat of the solution is the same as the specific heat of water.

A. q = (50.0 g)(4.18 J/g K)(Ti - Tf)
B. q = [(10.0 g)(4.18 J/g K)(Tf - Ti)]/[10.0 g/(58.44 g/mol)]
C. q = (60.0 g)(4.18 J/g K)(Tf - Ti)
D. q = [(60.0 g)(4.18 J/g K)(Tf - Ti)]/[10.0 g/(58.44 g/mol)]
E. q = (60.0 g)(4.18 J/g K)(Ti - Tf)

I keep second guessing myself could you tell me the right answer and explain it to me

5 answers

Morgan, I've struggled with this question and looked in all of my references + web. Finally I've had to conclude that I simply don't have enough understanding about the answered listed to give an unequivocal response so the safe thing to do is to leave it alone. Sorry about that.
Should I go with c or d?
If I knew the answer to your last response I could have answered it in the first place.
the answer is d I illuminated a and b because I knew that Tf has to be subtracted by ti. Next I illustrated b because I knew the mass had to be that of water or the total. FInally, I used the formal for c before and my number was to high so division made sense I hope you can use this to help other students as well. I have a question though, are you like a chemistry professor or a college student to just really good at chemistry?
morgan how do you know its D?