Question
A metal sample is heated and placed into the water in a calorimeter at room temperature. Which statement best describes how the calorimeter can be used to determine the specific heat capacity of the metal sample?
Energy transfers to the metal from the water and calorimeter until they are all at room temperature.
Energy transfers from the metal to the water and calorimeter until they are all at room temperature.
Energy transfers to the metal from the water and calorimeter until they all reach a single temperature.
Energy transfers from the metal to the water and calorimeter until they all reach a single temperature
Energy transfers to the metal from the water and calorimeter until they are all at room temperature.
Energy transfers from the metal to the water and calorimeter until they are all at room temperature.
Energy transfers to the metal from the water and calorimeter until they all reach a single temperature.
Energy transfers from the metal to the water and calorimeter until they all reach a single temperature
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct statement that best describes how the calorimeter can be used to determine the specific heat capacity of the metal sample is:
**Energy transfers from the metal to the water and calorimeter until they all reach a single temperature.**
This is because when the hot metal is placed in the cooler water (and calorimeter), heat will flow from the metal (which is at a higher temperature) to the water and calorimeter (which are at a lower temperature) until thermal equilibrium is reached, meaning all three components (metal, water, and calorimeter) reach the same final temperature. This process allows for calculations to determine the specific heat capacity of the metal based on the heat lost by the metal being equal to the heat gained by the water and calorimeter.
**Energy transfers from the metal to the water and calorimeter until they all reach a single temperature.**
This is because when the hot metal is placed in the cooler water (and calorimeter), heat will flow from the metal (which is at a higher temperature) to the water and calorimeter (which are at a lower temperature) until thermal equilibrium is reached, meaning all three components (metal, water, and calorimeter) reach the same final temperature. This process allows for calculations to determine the specific heat capacity of the metal based on the heat lost by the metal being equal to the heat gained by the water and calorimeter.